It Started With a Date
by mycaermita
Summary: Kurosaki Karin and Hitsugaya Toushiro have a date... But how will they continue their relationship when Toushiro has to leave? COMPLETED. HitsuKarin/ JinYuzu, IchiRuki
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach**

**Claimer: The plot, and some OC**

**A/N: This story is actually the HistuKarin trilogy, but I re-edited them, added a few chapters… And of course, the 2nd generation. Make sure you review, and of course alert so that you can read the story until it finally REALLY ends.**

**Thank you for those who read the three stories, and please DO NOT skip the first chapters, since I wrote them again for a purpose that it would be better and more interesting. :D**

**Here you go, read or re-read, hope you like it!**

**Prologue:**

Kurosaki Karin and Hitsugaya Toushiro met up that afternoon for a soccer game. Karin looked at the small body of Toushiro walking slowly, holding the usual cell phone. Karin giggled. Some people just never change.

They saw each other yesterday, and it just fell into place that they play soccer, which coincidentally, is an addiction to Toushiro. Who knew?

Karin was walking home, when she saw a familiar white-haired dude. Karin looked at him, and screamed his name.

"Toushiro!" she cried. Toushiro jumped and almost dropped his phone. He looked at her, and glared, trying to regain his taicho composure. Karin raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want, Kurosaki?" he growled lowly. Karin sighed.

"Will you please stop calling me Kurosaki? I mean, you will confuse me with Ichi-nii!" she said. Toushiro eyed her.

"Fine." then he turned on his heel and marched off. Karin sweat dropped.

"Toushiro!"

"What now?" he muttered. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Let's play soccer tomorrow." she said. Toushiro stopped walking, and looked at her. Then blushed.

Wait… Blushed? Blanched I mean.

"Alright, if I have time." he said. Karin grinned at him, Toushiro watched her leaving back.

"Get a hold of yourself, Hitsugaya." he scolded himself.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro walked over to Karin, his heart racing. He suddenly felt conscious as he felt her stare descend upon him. Then he stopped himself short.

_What's wrong with you!?_

He shook his head and snapped his phone shut. Karin waved at him. Toushiro gulped.

"Hey, come on. I reserved the field." she said. Toushiro nodded and pocketed his phone.

The game begins. And it's not the only thing that would begin.

**HT/KK**

"Before I leave, can I ask you a favor?" asked Toushiro. Karin looked at him, and kicked the ball.

"What is it, Toushiro?" asked Karin. They were playing soccer, and the Toushiro was winning with his amazing kicks. Sweat was dripping happily from their foreheads.

"Do you want to eat dinner tomorrow night? Im leaving Friday." said Toushiro. Karin stopped moving and looked thoughtful.

"It's a Wednesday tomorrow right?" said Karin. Toushiro felt the pain of his heart stabbing his chest, he was nervous. A taicho should never be nervous.

'_What the hell is wrong with me_?' he thought, mentally slapping himself for asking a normal human girl out.

"You don't have to Karin, I don't mind." said Toushiro a little too quickly.

"Ill go out with you, but where are we going?" asked Karin curiously. Kicking the ball higher.

"It's a secret." said Toushiro, while winning himself another game.

'_I have no idea, damn, what did I get myself into_?' he thought.

The game ended well, and Toushiro sweaty and confused, practically felt on high when Karin kissed him on his cheek and said cheerily,

"I'll see you tomorrow then! My place."

Karin ran back home, her heart thumping.

Did she do what she think she did?

Toushiro, who was walking back to Orihime's place, stumbled.

_She kissed me!_

_Thanks for stating the obvious, Whitey-chan._

"This world is taking a toll on me." he considered.

What was this he was feeling? He didn't know. And he wanted to get rid of it, before it takes over him.

**A/N: Yes, the other chapters are longer, better and much more detailed. Please don't judge a story by it's prologue. HAHA. Review!**


	2. Getting ready

**Chapter 1: Getting ready**

Hitsugaya Toushiro is a taicho, the taicho of the 10th squad of the Gotei 13. His fukutaicho, Matsumoto, is not only his vice captain but also his-

"Personal consultant!" cried Matsumoto, when Toushiro stepped into Inoue Orihime's house.

"What are you talking about _now_, Matsumoto?" said Toushiro angrily, tick marks appearing on his pre-maturely lined face.

"Now now, taicho, you don't want _Karin_ to think you a grump do you? On your date?" she said happily, her over sized breasts jingling with serendipity.

"Have you been drinking again?" he sighed scanning the room for empty sake bottles.

"Of course not, taicho." She said kicking what looked like a bag farther.

Toushiro glared at her.

"I'm tired, and yes, I do have a rendezvous tomorrow with Kurosaki." He said curtly.

Matsumoto laughed inwardly at the way he called his date.

"Do you have something to wear?" she asked, ignoring his permanent angry face.

"**Yes."**

And with that he went to his room and slammed the door shut slightly amused as Matsumoto tried to pry it open.

When silence enveloped him, and his heart stopped beating, he started to think. Nobody knew that it was almost like he had another Toushiro inside him… A Matsumoto-like Toushiro that nobody ever seen or heard before… He didn't like this Toushiro, but he was helpful at some times.

_So a date with Kurosaki Karin eh?_

_Baka! It's called a rendezvous._

_BAKA! It's called a __**date.**_

_Why her? She is a normal human girl… _

_I want to get to know her better._

_So you like her shiro-chan?_

_Shut up._

_Admit it. You like how she is competitive…_

_Yes-_

_You like how she is tough and boyish._

_Uhh-_

_You do._

_Sure I do…_

_So you admit it?_

_Obviously._

_Does she like you back?_

_I want to know that myself._

_So what are you going to wear, Hitsugaya taicho?_

_Shut it, you're like Matsumoto._

_What?_

_I don't know…I don't even know where we are going._

_Im sure Matsumoto has gotten that handled._

_WHAT?!_

Toushiro opened his eyes and stormed out of the room in time to see Matsumoto holding a piece of paper and dialing it on the phone.

"Matsumoto." he said. Matsumoto raised her head, to find him flushed.

"Oh taicho, ive already booked you a restaurant." she said happily.

"Im sure you did. Stay out of our way." he added warningly.

Matsumoto blushed and nodded. She didn't plan to follow his warning, though. She never did anyway.

After she booked the restaurant, she dialed the phone again, and smiled from ear-to-ear.

"Hey, Rukia?"

**HT/KK**

Kurosaki Karin sat on her chair, she was officially confused. The question 'why?' pounced in her brain more and more.

Why did Toushiro ask her out? And most importantly, why did she care so much?

She felt Ichigo's reiatsu burn.

"Onii-san!"

She bounded to his room and kicked it open. Her mouth hung open on what she saw. He was not only a soul, but his body hung limply on his bed. And not only that, he also saw a girl carrying what looked like Chappy the bunny on her hands.

"Err— "the girl said.

"Karin!" cried Ichigo. "Can you see me?"

"Obviously." chocked Karin; the girl bounced of the bed and went to Karin.

"Kuchiki Rukia, nice to meet you." she said. Karin nodded slowly, confused.

Then with that she gestured a dazed Ichigo out.

Karin went back to her room, memories flooding out. Then she heard a low growl of a defeated Hollow, and Ichigo's reiatsu. He was back.

"Onii-san." she said as she entered. The girl was still there, with a small smirk. She was holding a cell phone.

"Ichigo, have you heared? Hitsugaya taicho has a date tomorrow."

"Toushiro?" said Karin without thinking.

"_You know Toushiro_?!" said Ichigo surprised.

"That's _Hitsugaya taicho_ to you, Ichigo." said Rukia, snapping the cell phone shut.

"So, how do you know Toushiro?" asked Ichigo, ignoring Rukia.

"He asked me out… We have a date tomorrow." said Karin. Rukia laughed then hugged her knees tightly.

"Yeah right… Him asking a human? Impossible." she said.

"He did." said Karin quietly.

Rukia stared. Ichigo was slowly turning purple and he looked like he wanted to strangle someone.

"What? Why that little white-haired kid! I forbid you to go out with such!" cried the over protective brother.

Karin rolled her eyes and smirked at his feeble attempts to jump out the window (Rukia had him on a headlock).

"Let go of me Rukia! Im going to strangle that son of a—"

But then Rukia clamped his mouth shut and pushed him in the closet, she slammed it shut, the silence. A very long silence.

Then they emerged. Ichigo was flushed. Rukia looked triumphant.

"So, dinner anyone?" asked Rukia.

Karin wondered what they did in the closet, and she got a pretty good idea what.

**HT/KK**

"You can do this; it's only a date… Only a _date_!" said Rukia, to Karin who was shaking.

"I know, im not always like this you know… Im just fidgety today." said Karin.

Tonight she decided to wear something un-competitive. A nice blue jersey shirt, with plain black jeans. Rukia suggested a pretty black dress, but Karin wouldn't budge, after all, she didn't know where they were going and it would be easier to blame Toushiro if it was a formal date.

Matsumoto ordered Rukia and Yumichika, to get Karin ready because she had to check the last minute preparations for their date.

Yumichika, who was fixing her hair and makeup, smiled at her.

"Don't worry, im sure the date would be absolutely **beautiful**!" said Yumichika.

Karin stared at him. Ever since she was introduced to him, she always wondered if he was gay, because he constantly checks the mirror and fixes her- I mean- his hair.

Suddenly, a loud bang sounded from Ichigo's room. Rukia, Karin and Yumichika went to check out what was wrong.

Apparently the noise was Ichigo who was kicking the cabinet door and Madarame Ikkaku, a bald guy with a huge katana, trapped him in it.

Ikkaku had a huge grin on his face that suggested he was either having fun or doing something evil, or both.

"What are you doing? That is so very ugly, Ikkaku." said Yumichika his nose wrinkled.

"The fukutaicho said I should keep Kurosaki in his room to prevent him from ruining little Ichigo's sister's date." he said with another evil smirk his bald head shining in the lamplight.

"Its Karin." muttered an annoyed Karin.

Another bang sounded from the closet then a muffled sound.

"You put tape on his mouth didn't you?" asked Rukia, mildly amused.

**BANG!**

The closet door opened with a loud bang and shown Ichigo, his arms wrapped in tied up clothes, and his mouth placed together with tape.

With a smirk, Rukia punched Ichigo on his nose causing him to fall into deep sleep and a huge hill like bump appeared in his orange head. Ikkaku shut the door.

Then Rukia's cell phone beeped.

**HH/KK**

On the other street at Orihime's house…

"Are you ready, Taicho?" asked Matsumoto eagerly. She pushed Toushiro in the washroom to change, and she opened it again to find Toushiro, and his face red.

Toushiro went out of the room dressed in his usual Black polo matched with blue trousers. Matsumoto giggled with delight.

"What is it, Matsumoto?" he asked annoyed.

He always hated Matsumoto's giggles and surprising amount of energy for shopping. Without much of a preamble, Matsumoto hugged Hitsugaya, smothering him with her breasts. Toushiro pushed her with all his might.

"Don't do that _again_ or I will strip you off your fukutaicho badge." said Toushiro angrily.

"You look wonderful, Hitsugaya taicho." she said, in an unusual formal way. But her giggles gave her away.

Toushiro glared and went out.

"It's _**the Red Box**_, I made you reservations there! 8 pm!!" called out Matsumoto.

With an annoyed wave of his hand, went off. While Matsumoto dialed Rukia that he is on his way.


	3. the Redbox

**Chapter 2: the Redbox**

Toushiro decided to walk, it gave him more time to think rather than if he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.

_She will never like a 75 year old man_

The Toushiro in him was talking in his head again. Hitsugaya grimaced. What if he was right? What if she just pitied him and accepted his offer?

_But she does not know you are 75, you idiot._

_Right, that's because you haven't told her yet_

Toushiro shook his head, what was he worrying about? This was just a normal human date with a normal human on a normal human day in a normal human world. And besides, this was between friends.

_Friends? Is that what you want?_

Before Toushiro could ponder this question, he realized he was at the Kurosaki door step. Before he could knock, Rukia opened the door.

"I felt your reiatsu." she said matter-of-factly. Toushiro nodded. Rukia giggled inwardly as she spotted his nervous face.

"You'll be okay." she said loudly. He glared at her.

"Shut up." He growled, lowly. Rukia laughed, but this time loudly. Toushiro groaned.

He entered the Kurosaki household with a feeling of dread. It looked clean, and saw a blond- haired girl, with her front at the stove, she looked like she was cooking something.

"Rukia-san you are back early, you want some din-"

She turned around and stop in mid-sentence. She stared at Toushiro for a few seconds and said in a motherly voice,

"You are?"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro…" he said, wondering if Karin told anyone about their date.

"Oh! Im Kurosaki Yuzu, it's nice to meet you. Are you here to see Onii- san?"

"Who?" he asked looking around for Karin.

"Ichigo."

Toushiro stopped looking and stared at Rukia. He forgot about Ichigo, the over protective brother.

"Don't worry, taicho. He is all bound up." whispered Rukia, her face impassive.

Toushiro nodded again.

" No, im here for Karin." said Toushiro and he sat down.

"A friend from soccer?" she asked stirring.

"You could say that." he muttered shyly as Yuzu smiled at him.

"They're on a date, Yuzu." said Rukia, earning a glare from Hitsugaya.

" Oh! A date! That's wonderful."

Then another bang. Rukia wondered if it was Ichigo, but it wasn't.

It was Kurosaki Isshin.

" My little Karin on a date?! Where is he?" cried Isshin, with an anguished face, he turned and faced Toushiro who was sitting there as if nothing was happening.

But when he saw Isshin, he looked shell shocked.

"_**Kurosaki Isshin taicho!?**_" he said not thinking. Isshin's eyes widened. Then he laughed nervously, and scratched his head awkwardly.

"Wha-what are you talking about? Me a captain? No." said Isshin, who looked shocked at someone who actually knew his past.

Yuzu looked curious. Rukia excused herself to get Karin, but really she didn't want to get involved.

" Who's a taicho?" she said. Then Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"No one, Yuzu. Who are you?" said Isshin, averting his eyes.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, im here to collect Karin. But-" started Hitsugaya, wanting to question the former taicho.

They didn't get to talk though, because Karin who was blushing descended down the stairs. Toushiro gaped at her. He was surprised at how pretty she looked with a little outfit, makeup and hair changed. Isshin, who was in tears, hugged his daughter and said,

"Oh my precious daughter is all grown up! She is dating… and next thing you know you are going to get married and have babies and-"

Karin slammed his father with her fist and said,

"Baka! It's just a date!" she said furiously.

Isshin sobbed.

"My daughter…is all grown up." he said through his nose bleed. " Take care of her, Toushiro. And tell me when you are going to announce the wedding day."

Hitsugaya flushed considerably. Karin looked ready to punch her father again.

Yuzu and Rukia hugged her.

And they were off. Not with Toushiro looking back at Isshin, who looked like his face darkened.

What was the deal with him? He wanted to know.

**HT/KK**

Together they walked in silence. Except for the rustling of the leaves, the only sound was their footsteps. Karin turned to Toushiro, who white hair shone in the moonlight.

"Where do you plan to take me, Toushiro?" she said.

"I made reservations." he said.

Again, in more silence. Karin wondered why they were being so awkward.

"Where?" she asked.

"_The Red Box." _he said in reply.

Then a small thump from the leaves, a small burning perturbed at their stomachs. One familiar to Hitsugaya he didn't have to guess.

"_Matsumoto_." said Toushiro in a small growl. Then two other reiatsu, it was also familiar.

"**MADARAME! KUCHIKI**!" he said, this time in an angry voice. Karin was also wondering about those reiatsu and started to wonder why Toushiro could feel and tell who it was.

The three reiatsu disappeared.

'_Im going to kill those three with Hyourinmaru_.' he thought angrily. He forced himself to smile at Karin.

"So let's get going." he said.

"You smiled!" cried Karin.

"What?" said Toushiro in surprise. Karin grinned.

"You don't smile often do you?" said Karin. Toushiro looked away.

Toushiro didn't answer. He realized he rarely smiled, and it would obviously be quite a shock for Karin. Forced or otherwise.

Then they arrived at _The Red Box_, it looked a little expensive, and Karin was surprised Toushiro had the money for it. Toushiro opened the door for Karin and they both sat down at downy looking chairs.

The waitress who waited for them smirked at them both.

"Aren't you two both too young to be here?" she said with a sing song voice.

"What are you talking about, woman?" said Toushiro. He hated the woman already. The waitress smirked at him, and proceeded to roll her eyes. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"You don't have enough allowance to afford this place." she said bossily.

"Yes, I was wondering about that too, Toushiro." voiced out Karin.

With a sigh, Toushiro brought out a wallet (Which happened to be a very expensive wallet from Soul Society). He brought out all his cash, all in all, 500,000 yen.

Karin gaped at the money. The waitress stared at him and said,

"Alright _children_, but let's keep this in the down low." she said. Toushiro glared.

"Look here-" he started but Karin cut him off.

"Can we please get our menus?" she said. The waitress nodded and took their orders.

When the waitress left, Toushiro glared at her retreating back.

"What do you expect? We _do_ look like a couple of grade schoolers." she said with an amused sort of smile. "And in fact, I am one."

"Im not a grade schooler." said Toushiro for the hundredth time. Karin laughed.

"Okay Toushiro, whatever you say." she said, as the food arrived, quicker than ever.

The waitress shot them both a look.

**HT/KK**

When Karin swallowed her 5th gulp, the Red Box door opened and revealed a bright red haired woman with big boobs and a fedora with huge sunglasses.

"Matsumoto." gritted Toushiro. "What is she doing here?!"

Karin who was saying something about soccer said,

"What was that?"

"Nothing, I have to go to the washroom, do you mind?" he said. Karin grinned and nodded her head.

"You mind I go?" asked Toushiro. Karin blushed, she shook her head.

"Uhh…So you don't mind I go, do you?" he said.

"I meant, _yes_ you may go to the washroom. And _no_, I don't mind." she said her face really red now.

Toushiro stood up and made his way to Matsumoto who was sitting there thinking Hitsugaya didn't notice her.

"Matsumoto!" cried Toushiro angrily. Matsumoto took of her sunglasses.

"Aww, I thought this was a good disguise." she said as she also took of the fedora.

"Shut up, what are you doing here?" said Toushiro angry tick marks appearing on his forehead again.

"Im here to watch you, taicho." she said. Toushiro forced himself not to release his bankai.

"I don't need you here _idiot_!" he boomed loudly. The couple at the next table stared at him.

But then the waitress who waited for them came over and said,

"Oh so you have a _chaperone_! Im sorry, well, don't let me stop you then." she said with a wink.

Toushiro glared at the waitress again and turned to Matsumoto,

"Im going to deal with you later. _You, Madarame, and Kuchiki_." he added.

Matsumoto gulped and nodded vehemently, with one last angry glare at her, Toushiro went back to his table to find Karin picking with her food. She didn't seem to notice at all that he was back so he cleared his throat loudly.

Karin looked up and plastered on her face a smile. More like a grimace. Toushiro who was not at all dense noticed it.

"Karin, what's wrong?" he asked. It came out sounding a little too concerned though.

'_Damn, am I turning this soft? What's with the concern?_' he thought aggressively, as if thinking like that could shake off his kind gestures.

He didn't know, while he was over talking or reprimanding (whichever fits best) Matsumoto, Karin was thinking.

_Kurosaki, what's going on?_

_What are you talking about?_

_BAKA! You don't usually blubber like that_

_It's the chicken…It has soy sauce._

_Good excuse._

_It's not an excuse! Im allergic to soy sauce._

_Which explains the red face?_

_Err—_

_You like him._

_Huh?_

_Baka._

_No, stop lying to yourself._

_Alright maybe—_

_Not maybe. It's true._

_Alright already!_

_Yeah, you don't usually blubber and get a red face._

_IT HAS SOY SAUCE!!_

Karin spooned again one of the soy sauce induced chicken strips and smiled at Toushiro, this time more genuine.

"Nothing's wrong! I was wondering if we could play at the park after?" she asked hopefully. Soccer was one way to take of her jingling nerves.

"Alright, whatever makes you happy." said Toushiro. He looked over at Matsumoto who smiled at him cheerily. He glared at her.

**HT/KK**

"Anyway Toushiro, where is the washroom?" asked Karin her stomach full to burst.

"Uhh—" he said. Where was it exactly?

"I'll go look for it myself, you go check the bill." she said not being able to stand waiting for where it was.

As she stormed out of the dining area, Toushiro looked over at Matsumoto who was looking anxious all of a sudden.

Toushiro mouthed for her to come over. As Matsumoto came to the table she said in a low voice,

"You can't take her to the park, at least not _yet._" she whispered at him.

"And why is that?" asked Toushiro with gritted teeth.

"Hollow." she said.

Toushiro blanked. He didn't feel it? Why? What was blocking the reiatsu to enter his body?

_Some other feeling perhaps? A certain 10 year old girl?_

Matsumoto was looking at Toushiro almost sadly. Toushiro fiddled for his cell phone to find that there were hollow over there. He looked at her, and glared.

"Don't just stand here! Go get It." he muttered angrily.

"Ikkaku is on it." she said, then he tucked the phone back in.

"Matsumoto, do you want me to use Hyourinmaru on you?" he asked, as he felt his zanpakuto and its presence.

Matsumoto dashed out. Toushiro could almost hear her say,

"Growl, Haineko!"

He smirked.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro summoned for the bill and went out to wait for her. Then he heared the anguished cry of the hollow. Then Karin went out dusting her jeans.

"Let's go."

"I was thinking we should go to the arcade first." said Toushiro quickly.

"Its sound like fun!" said Karin sincerely, she forgot about the arcade. It was another way to take off the jibes.

Toushiro looked up in the sky and heared in time for Karin to say,

"**Race ya**!"

She went before him, and Toushiro smiled as she at least tried to beat him.


	4. Arcades and Stars

**Chapter 3: Arcades and stars**

They both arrived at the arcade, which was 10 blocks away, panting. It was queer for both of them, because one, Toushiro is a taicho and two, Karin is a sports player and she considers herself in good shape.

Arriving at the exact same time, Karin looked over to a sweaty Toushiro and put some coins in a vending machine. Out came two soda cans and she threw one at Toushiro.

Toushiro stared at it. It was an aluminum can. Heavy and sturdy. It also had a brand name right in front. He looked over at Karin who popped it open from the top.

"Uhh…" he said. Karin giggled.

Toushiro did the same. They both sat down at the nearby bench and downed themselves with soda. It was a comfortable silence. It was as if they didn't want to break it.

But after the soda was gone, Karin took Toushiro's hand. Sending sparks up to his spine.

"What?" he asked. Not only to Karin but also to himself.

_What the hell was that?_

"The _arcade_! I thought you wanted to play?" she said as she started to pull him up. But with her force and Toushiro's unwillingness to cooperate, they ended up flying and in a heap on the ground.

Karin who was on top of Toushiro blushed and muttered a quick sorry, making to stand up and control herself. But Toushiro just looked at her and said,

"No, I like it this way." he said in a voice he couldn't recognize as his. Karin nodded and it seemed like a whole minute passed.

_He has the most beautiful green eyes._

_Go on, kiss him._

Karin blushed at the thought. Toushiro felt his body burn and he clutched Karin's arm and pushed her gently off, while not releasing his hand from her arm. Karin was looking like a burnt turnip.

They stared at each other, while Toushiro was still clutching Karin's arm. Karin who felt sorely uncomfortable took his hand off, and in Toushiro's surprise, she put her hand with his.

She smiled.

He smiled this time accompanied with a pink face. Then they walked hand in hand to the noisy arcade, not noticing someone watching them from the bush.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo was watching them all the while. Yumichika, who was the one watching after him, gone off to help with the Menos Grande at the park. Ikkaku, Rukia and Matsumoto, who were following Hitsugaya and Karin all the while, went there too. Leaving Ichigo alone.

He screamed for Yuzu to let him free not offering an explanation as he jumped out of the window and raced for Hitsugaya's reiatsu. He saw the couple on a heap on the ground and gaped at them.

"Why that little pervert! Poisoning the mind of Karin." he muttered angrily.

Of course Hitsugaya wasn't doing that, but the protective brother in Ichigo made him say that.

Then he practically bounded after them when he saw those holding hands, but he realized Karin was the one who initiated it. He made to go after them at the arcade, but as he went out, a hand enclosed on his arm and he turned around and saw Rukia. And not only her, sitting on the bench was Ikkaku, Yumichika and Matsumoto.

"Going somewhere, Kurosaki-kun?" asked Yumichika with his pretty boy face in a sly sort of smile.

"Yeah. We went somewhere to have some fun, just to find you having fun on your own." said Ikkaku staring at Ichigo.

"Bound him." said the fukutaicho Matsumoto. Rukia summoned out of nowhere a piece of rope and bounded his hands.

"If you are going to spy at them, don't do it without us, alright Ichigo?" said Rukia her face close to Ichigo's contorted face.

Then they dragged him into the arcade. Their laughter ringing in his ears.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro and Karin where having the time of their lives. Toushiro, who has never been inside an arcade before was enjoying actually hitting frogs who pops out of nowhere.

Toushiro, having hit every single frog, even in the highest level impressed Karin immensely.

"Are you _sure _you haven't played this game before?" she asked suspiciously.

"Positive. I just get enough practice." he said.

'_Not with frogs though_.' He thought, smiling inside.

After, they played driving and racing. Karin laughed at Toushiro. He obviously had never seen one before.

Toushiro who has never been inside a car, seeing as there are none in Soul Society, lost to Karin in the first game but got the hang of it and they both got a tie.

With all the tickets they got, Toushiro got Karin something. It was a bobble head with a funky cartoon on it.

Karin started laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny? I thought you'd like this one. Not those disgusting looking stuffed animals." said Toushiro.

"You're absolutely right! Thank you." she said. Accepting the bobble head

_He's perfect._

Then she kissed him on the cheek. Toushiro smiled, for the first time, genuine.

**HT/KK**

"Is it me? Or did Karin just kiss Hitsugaya taicho." said Ikkaku in an awed sort of voice.

"It's not you, stupid." said Rukia shocked that the taicho even obliged.

"That's not what shocks me though." said Matsumoto, frozen with shock.

"What does?" asked Yumichika and Rukia.

"Hitsugaya taicho… He smiled." said Matsumoto.

The others realized she was right. Hitsugaya taicho… Smiled.

"It's like seeing Byakuya nii-sama smile." said Rukia with a laugh.

Ichigo who was silent the whole time said,

"I guess it's alright… As long as he won't take advantage of her." he said.

Then they followed the couple as the got out of the arcade.

**HT/KK**

The soccer game ended, and of course Toushiro wins. But Karin didn't mind. They ended up lying on the grass and watching the late stars winking at them, as if in approval.

They were very close now, more comfortable with each other. Their fingers intertwined.

"Toushiro?" asked Karin. Toushiro looked at her with a calm face.

"What is it?"

"You said you'd be leaving soon." she said, and with that she took her hand away from Toushiro, regretting it instantly because it felt cold. So she sat up and hugged her knees.

Toushiro who was trying to avoid this sat up too, but faced Karin.

"My family… Well, they live somewhere else. Very far from here… I went here because I had this thing I have to do. But you do realize that the reason I asked you out in the first place was because I like you right?" he said anxiously. Karin smiled at him sadly.

"Yes. But isn't that enough for you to stay with me?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Karin… I can't stay here. I don't belong here." he said sadly. He should have thought about this before asking her out. Karin bit her lip.

"Alright. But promise you'd visit me okay? Once in a while at least." said Karin with a tiny sad grin.

"Yes, I promise." he said. Not knowing if he could keep it.

Then Karin laid on the grass again. Hearing another thump, it was Toushiro lying down beside her again.

She closed her eyes, absorbing everything, and then falling asleep in comfort. It was warm.

They seemed to have fallen asleep in each other's arms.

**HT/KK**

"That is so beautiful." said Yumichika, tears in his eyes.

"I hate having to separate the two." said Matsumoto. "Who would've thought my taicho would find love in a human girl?"

"I think they fell asleep." said Rukia looking over at them.

"Yeah. Maybe we should leave them." said Matsumoto.

"Are you kidding me? Im not leaving my sister in that position!" cried Ichigo.

"Shut up! You might wake them." said Rukia clamping her hand on Ichigo's mouth.

Then the shunpoed back to Ichigo's house to wait for the two love birds.

**HT/KK**

"_Karin_…" said Toushiro shaking her, he woke up in time to see the sun rising. It was 5:45 am. 15 minutes until the alarm clocks of the Kurosaki house awakens.

"_**Toushiro**_?" said Karin wondering how he got to her bedroom. She opened her eyes. She fell asleep on grass next to Toushiro. They were still in their clothes the night before. The clothes were now wrinkled.

"Did I fall asleep here? What time is it?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

"5:45… We have to get you back now before 6… Come on, ill carry you. It will be faster." said Toushiro. Then he picked her up in swift motion and ran to the shortcut.

"Toushiro?"

"Yes?"

"You look cute in the morning. With the rumpled hair and all." said Karin with a smile holding tight to Toushiro her arms around his neck.

Toushiro blushed and nodded not knowing what to say.

Then he dropped her off on her doorstep.

"Thanks Toushiro. I had a great time…" she said, and then kissed him again on the cheek.

"Me too." said Toushiro holding his burning cheeks.

Karin grinned and turned around to open her door.

"_Karin_!" called out Toushiro. She turned around again.

"I'll see you later? Let's play one last game." he said.

"Sure. I'd love too." said Karin.

Toushiro watched her retreating back. And he smiled again. He started walking back to Orihime's house thinking.

_You've been smiling a lot now._

_Not really._

_You've grown attached._

_No comment._

**HT/KK**

When Karin entered her room she stopped in the door way.

Ikkaku and Yumichika were sprawled on the floor.

"Uhh, what are you guys doing here?" she asked.

The two stirred and bolted upright.

"Oh we fell asleep on the floor how unbeautiful." said Yumichika and he looked at the closet mirror.

"We were waiting for you to come home. It's 5 something… Well, we got to go and check your _boyfriend_." said Ikkaku.

And with that they stormed out of the room and shunpoed from rooftop to rooftop.

"_**HES NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"**_ called out Karin.

They didn't hear her well enough.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro knocked on the door. No answer. Then he knocked harder, that the door might fall off.

Matsumoto opened the door and saw Toushiro with a grumpy face.

"**Taicho**! You just came back? How was your _girlfriend?_ Did you have fun?" she started asking as he came in and sat on the couch.

"She's not my girlfriend." he said, stunned.

"Yeah right. Arcade, Bobble heads, hand holding, kisses and sleeping together in the moonlight—"

Then she realized she said too much. Hitsugaya taicho growled and screamed,

"_MATSUMOTO!!"_

Matsumoto stormed out of the house, Hyourinmaru racing after her.


	5. Goodbye?

**Chapter 4: Goodbye?**

They met together later that afternoon for their last game of soccer. Toushiro was distracted all afternoon, and he was also in a bad mood since Madarame and Yumichika started pestering him about Karin too.

But seeing Karin's face that afternoon made him happy all over again. And right after the game, they were sweaty and tired. Karin collapsed on the nearby bench and sighed happily.

Toushiro who was not really as tired decided that he should treat her with ice cream.

"Karin, let's go get some of those flavored cream Ice." he said taking out his wallet.

"You mean, Ice cream?" asked Karin with a grin.

"Yeah that. Same difference." said Toushiro with a wave.

They stood up and raced after the ice cream truck. When they- Toushiro, I mean- caught up with the van, they bought some minty chocolate chip ice creams.

They sat on the grass yet again, slurping their ice creams.

"Im going to miss this…" said Toushiro to Karin half-way to his cone.

"Why? Don't you have ice cream at your place?" asked Karin, knowing what he really meant.

"I meant us. This calm environment. Im going to miss you." he said as they finished their cones.

"Im going to miss this too." said Karin, feeling tears in her eyes, she looked away.

"Karin don't cry. I'll see you again." said Toushiro. He thumbed her cheek and felt for the first time in his life the feeling of protectiveness, like he wanted to take her and brand her his. He wanted to kiss her. Make her feel like she was his everything.

"Toushiro…"

Their faces where close now, so close that their noses were almost touching. Then a loud beep.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro forced himself to check his phone. And there it was a hollow approaching the Kurosaki household.

He looked back at Karin and saw she was in tears again.

"Karin, I'll be right back. Stay here." he said.

"Wait!" she cried.

"Stay here!" said Hitsugaya, loudly. Karin glared at him angrily.

"You're one of them are you? A shinigami." said Karin.

"How'd you—" stuttered a stunned Hitsugaya. Karin sighed loudly.

"I know onii-san is one. And ever since yesterday, I knew you could feel it too… Is that where you are going back too? Your shinigami life? Is that why they call you Hitsugaya taicho?" whispered Karin.

The hollow was gone in a few seconds. Ichigo must have gotten rid of it, because his reiatsu flared up.

"That was onii-san." said Karin. Toushiro sat back down, seeing Karin's sad face.

"Yes, I am a taicho. Of the Gotei 13… Im sorry I didn't tell you earlier." said Toushiro staring at her sad face. He felt guilty, big time.

"I understand. It's probably against the rules anyway." said Karin, but inside, she didn't really understand.

Then Toushiro told her everything. From soul society to all the things he had to do there. When he was done, Karin stared at him.

"Tell me Toushiro, are you really coming back?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"I-I don't know." he said honestly.

They sat in silence. Then Karin stood up and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Make sure you contact me if you come back to the real world, _Hitsugaya taicho_." she said and walked away.

Toushiro stared at her as she left not knowing if he should follow her or let her be.

**HT/KK**

The next morning, Hitsugaya was awakened by a little static. It was the huge TV in Inoue's house. The sotaicho Yamamato-jin was there.

"Hitsugaya taicho. Your presence is required here in an hour. Please get ready. Your guide will be Kuchiki taicho of the 6th squad and Ukitake taicho of the 11th squad."

Then it blinked off. Hitsugaya stood up and shook Matsumoto who awoken instantly.

"Taicho?"

"Where leaving in an hour. Get dressed. There will be a formal meeting at the Gotei 13." he said then went out.

"Where are you going, taicho?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

"To settle something." He said, and left without another word.

**HT/KK**

Then not letting her have another word, he dashed out and shunpoed to the Kurosaki's house. He didn't bother to knock. He went straight to Karin's bedroom.

Karin was on her desk writing on her journal, then Hitsugaya jumped in. Karin started and turned around.

"Toushiro! What on earth—" she said. But she was startled when he grabbed her none to gently and his face close to hers he said,

"Before I leave can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Wait for me…Will you?" he said and he kissed her. At first it was sweet and gentle. But as soon as Karin started kissing back the kiss deepened in a passionate one. It seemed like forever and they couldn't help it, they knew they wouldn't see each other for quite a while.

When they finally broke, Toushiro smiled at her and Karin said,

"Thanks…That was nice."

"So, what's your answer?" he asked.

"I'll wait for you, Toushiro." said Karin. She took his hand to his and squeezed it.

Toushiro, who checked the time, saw that it was time to leave. He had to get there 30 minutes before because his guides come early.

"Karin. I have to go."

As he said that he kissed her again, but this time on the forehead. Because if it was anywhere else, it would take more time.

"Bye." He said. Karin blinked at him sadly.

"Bye." She said. Toushiro smiled at her.

Then he jumped out of the window, and shunpoed back to Orihime's house.

And though he wasn't there, and no one would hear it, Karin whispered to the winds,

"Im going to wait for you, Toushiro. No matter what happens."


	6. Five years later

**Chapter 5: Five years later**

" _Kurosaki_! You comin' or what?" cried her soccer teammate. Ever since she entered high school she signed up on the soccer team, and of course she was accepted.

Instead of her usual guy friend team, now she has a bunch of other girls who treat her like a girl, and are an athletic bunch to boot.

"No, ill pass. I got to do something at home." said Karin with a tiny smile. The girls looked at her in confusion but started running to the field anyway.

_What's going on? _

_What the hell are you talking about, Kurosaki?_

_Im talking about YOU not playing soccer today._

_You know, im not feeling well._

_It's Toushiro._

_Yeah well—_

_You're doubting him aren't you?_

_Why would I? I mean, I trust him._

_Baka. You were 10 at that time._

_So what?_

_Can you feel love at that age?_

_Who said anything about love?_

_Okay, maybe you can._

_I don't love him, I just feel a lot about him._

_Whatever you say, Karin._

Karin slapped her face. She hated talking to herself, it made her feel lonely. She entered the Kurosaki household to catch a whiff of some soup Yuzu was making.

"Hey nee-san, want some dinner?" asked Yuzu, who was really a woman now. Though she was only 15, she looked mature and beautiful. Though she does not have a boyfriend yet, she has a lot of suitors.

"No. Have you seen onii-san's new email yet?" asked Karin just for the sake of asking.

Ichigo went to college 2 years ago, but he never failed to email or send pictures. Also he never missed a single family gathering.

"No, I haven't any time." said Yuzu.

Karin nodded and made to go upstairs.

"Oh and if you want dinner, there is some in the fridge!" called out Yuzu.

Karin walked into her room and immediately was greeted by the flush of air from her window. She sunk on her bed and memories flooded back.

_Then not letting her have another word, he dashed out and shunpoed to the Kurosaki's house. He didn't bother to knock. He went straight to Karin's bedroom._

_Karin was on her desk writing on her journal, then Hitsugaya jumped in. Karin started and turned around._

"_Toushiro! What on earth—" she said. But she was startled when he grabbed her none to gently and his face close to hers he said,_

"_Before I leave can I ask you a favor?"_

"Can I ask you a favor, huh? This is pretty big for a stupid favor, Toushiro." muttered Karin with an angry sniff.

She shut the window with a bang and looked over at her table. There lay a box. It was big enough to fit only a jumbo hotdog, but nothing else.

Karin took the box and opened it, there lay a bobble head. It was not just any bobble head though, it was a gift from Toushiro.

She shook it and smiled, the cartoon head was smiling at her and nodding his head vigorously. Karin put it back in the box and placed it bellow her pillow.

It was the same for 5 years, every time it was the anniversary of their date, she would end up getting the bobble head putting it in her pillow, and crying herself to sleep.

**HT/KK**

Hitsugaya pushed the door of the 1st squad. Meeting was always held there, not unless they didn't need to and the room 46 handled it.

Matsumoto who was behind him snorted. She hated the formality. The captains and their vice captains where all lined up side by side.

"Hitsugaya taicho, so happy you could join us." said Yamamato.

Hitsugaya nodded and positioned himself in the middle of 9th squads vice captain Isagi Shuuhei. ( Tousen Kaname, who happened to be the taicho of 9th joined the evil forces of Aizen Souske who was taicho of the 5th division).

Beside Matsumoto was taicho of the 11the squad Zaraki Kenpachi and his faithful (yet annoying) vice Kusagika Yachiru.

Hinamori Momo, who was Toushiro's best friend grinned at him and waved. Hitsugaya nodded politely. Ever since the last war, he felt a like he wanted to avoid her at all costs.

"So, now that we are all complete, I received news from a shinigami stationed in the real world that there are news of an Arrancar attack…" said Yamamato. The captains nodded in understanding.

This was a meeting discussing who will be stationed at earth to battle. Hitsugaya felt his heart beat faster again. He thought he was going to have a heart attack, but then he realized it was mainly because of the idea of going to the real world and seeing a certain someone again.

Matsumoto gave Hitsugaya a sideway glance and smiled. She knew for one thing that he was thinking the same thing too.

They were going back to earth.

"Now, im going to assign this to the people who have once been stationed there too. Because it would be easier and more familiar that way." said the 1st division captain. Kenpachi grunted. Yamamato looked over at him with a questioning glare.

"I think I should go too. After all me and Yachiru are pretty good at adapting to our environments." he said.

"Yeah. Me and Ken-chan want to have fun!" said Yachiru with a bounce.

"But. _Your_ idea _of fun_, unfortunately is _killing_ people. And we can't afford dead humans now can't we?" said 2nd division captain Soi Fon.

Kenpachi glared at her, but Yama-jin nodded too and looked over at Hitsugaya and Matsumoto.

"10th division Hitsuagaya taicho and Matsumoto fukutaicho, you are assigned."

Hitsugaya nodded and felt his heart drop.

_Im going to see Karin again._

"You too 6th division Abarai fukutaicho, you go with 13th division's Kuchiki Rukia."

Renji nodded and grinned like an idiot.

This was met however with disapproval from 6th division captain Kuchiki Byakuya.

"I refuse to let Rukia to join in this mission." he said.

"That's not your decision, im afraid." said 13th division taicho Ukitake Jyuushiro.

"Stay out of this, Ukitake." snarled Byakuya.

"Im allowing her to go." said Ukitake.

"Seeing as you are so keen for her protection, join her Kuchiki taicho." Said 4th division captain Unohana Retsu.

"That's a great idea." agreed Ukitake with his rare smirk.

Byakuya positively blanched, but seeing the face of Yamamato Genryuusai, he knew he had to.

"Also im adding 11th division's Madarame and Yumichika."

"My subordinates get to go?!" boomed Zaraki. Soi Fon rolled her eyes.

The meeting ended with mixed feelings. But the feeling of Hitsugaya was the most different.

_So, how are you feeling Shiro-chan?_

_I don't know what to feel anymore._

_I bet she looks different._

_Yes, it HAS been 5 years._

_I wonder if she ever followed her promise._

Hitsugaya frowned at himself again. He did… But did she? He didn't know, at that exact moment, Karin was falling asleep… Her heart heavy with a burden she kept for 5 years now


	7. The stars

**Chapter 6: The stars**

"Why, taicho, are you so keen on going to the real world?" asked Matsumoto cockily yet in a whisper. They were at another meeting. Though this one was informal. The shinigami's assigned at earth are going tomorrow, and tonight was their only available time to plan for it.

Byakuya was at the corner acting all tough, but he was feeling awkward. Rukia was sitting next to Renji and they were talking about Ichigo (no doubt, they don't know that he is in college). Madarame and Yumichika were sitting and doing nothing.

"What are you talking about? **This is a mission**." growled Hitsugaya, his brow furrowed.

"A certain, _Karin-chan_ perhaps?" she said her eyebrow rose in a knowing glance.

"_Shut up_!" said Hitsugaya. Ikkaku and Yumichika stared at him then smiled also knowingly.

They were there. In his date with Karin, and he knew if ever they were in his division he had probably kicked them out and transferred them to the 12th squad where they could be examined by Kurotshuchi taicho.

But the 11th squad had lower tolerance. Zaraki did not care about their utter rudeness, the only thing that mattered to him was that they were able to fight and kick hollow butt.

"Kuchiki taicho, are you quite sure you want to join us?" said Hitsugaya, avoiding the stares and glances from the others.

Byakuya glared at him, no doubt trying to bite of his remarks at his meddling. But then he nodded and said,

"I am going to my quarters now. No one bother me. Renji and I have papers to do before we go to the real world."

Then he went out without another word. Hitsugaya scoffed.

"Okay. Now we have a better chance with the Arrancar. Considering we have two taichos in our league and two fukutaichos. We might get this job over earlier than we expected." said Ikakku.

"I wonder how many they are?" asked Rukia. Renji who was lying on the floor ever since Byakuya left, said,

"I think about 3 only. We have an over advantage for them. Maybe we should handle the hollow problems while we are at it."

They nodded.

"Im quite excited to get back." said Matsumoto.

"Rangiku-san, is it _about shopping again_?" asked Rukia with a small smile.

"They have cheaper _items there_!"

Hitsugaya gave them both a death glare, but they choose to ignore it especially since Yumichika joined in the babble of shopping trips.

Renji and Ikkaku started fighting over something trivial.

So Hitsugaya was left with himself. He wondered what Karin looked now. She would be 15 years old.

He glanced at the wall mirror. He definitely looked better now. He was not they puny looking grade schooler from before. In his standards he looked like a high school student senior.

_What would she look like now?_

**HT/KK**

Karin lied on the grass for the hundredth time in her whole life. It was the exact same spot where she and Toushiro slept in each other's arms.

No one was around at this time. It was 9 pm, it was cold and the air that blew on her face was not at all soothing.

But she couldn't help it. For some reason she felt like something magical was going to happen if she stayed.

She smiled at the stars. They seemed to still wink in approval. She closed her eyes, it was as if she could feel his presence in her.

"I wish… I wish I could see Toushiro again. Even for just one second, I wish I could be with him… To know if I should give up or not." she told the stars.

Then she felt warm all of a sudden.

_What's going on?_

She opened her eyes expecting to see white hair and electric blue-green eyes. But it wasn't.

It was her father Kurosaki Isshin, she seemed to be in a bundle.

"Don't worry, ive got you. You seem to have a cold. Your very warm." he said.

Karin nodded disappointedly and felt herself get knocked out.

**HT/KK**

_I feel like a thousand bricks poured over on my head_

_What happened last night?_

_I think I fell asleep at on the grass_

_On the grass? Baka, of course you'd get sick._

_Ive done it once, __**Kurosaki**__._

_Yah well, it was with someone else __**Karin**__._

_Why don't you open your eyes?_

_They feel heavy._

But she opened her eyes anyway. She was on her bed, a very warm towel on her head. Yuzu was on a chair sleeping with her mouth open in an annoying angle, that spit was spill from her sides.

"Yuzu." said Karin and poked her sister on her tummy.

She woke up instantly and saw that Karin was awake.

"Karin! Are you okay? You have a cold." she said and went to get the thermometer.

When she checked that Karin was indeed feeling better she went out to get her breakfast.

When she came back she sat on the side of Karin.

"Karin, why where you there anyway?" she asked anxiously, as if she thought Karin was off her rocker.

"I just felt It." said Karin honestly." What time is it anyway, Yuzu?"

"It's 6am. I don't know about you, but you are _certainly _not going to school today." said Yuzu in an annoying way plus the finger wagging.

"Whatever, I know im not sick anymore. But I just don't feel like It." replied Karin burying her head in her pillow.

"Alright." said Yuzu dismissively, and went out. Probably to get dressed for school.

Karin laid back on the bed and groaned. A head ache was back.

**HT/KK**

Back at Soul Society the shinigami's who will go to the real world have gathered over at the gates.

"Remember, if anyone dies in the attempt, don't hold back." said Ikkaku, his face splitting in a wide evil grin.

"Yeah right. That would be very un-beautiful." said Yumichika, posing for the invisible camera.

"Shut up you two!" barked Hitsugaya, he was anxious the whole night, so he didn't get enough sleep causing him to be extra cranky.

Then a strong reiatsu pounded in their bodies, it was the most familiar, because he seemed to be releasing it at most times. Or maybe he couldn't help it, they had to guess.

Kenpachi was running to them, Yachiru flying or grasping not to fall from Kenpachi's back.

"You people won't leave without a fight for who will able to go to the real world." he cried, beaming.

Byakuya and Hitsugaya did not move when the others made a run for the open gate. They scoffed.

"Let me handle this _idiot_." said Hitsugaya his face showing annoyance.

"**You impudent little brat** we have to go before the gate closes." said Byakuya his face etched with dislike.

Then they ran after the gate. Sending a howling Kenpachi to shout in rage. Hitsugaya stared at Byakuya with pure spite.

**HT/KK**

Karin bounced of bed all of a sudden.

_That reiatsu… It can't be?—_

She took of the towel from her head and dashed out of the room. Everyone was not in the house so she locked the door and went after the familiar reiatsu. She ran faster to the park.

Karin looked up in the sky, as if expecting him or them (she could feel the others too), to just fall from the sky.

But to her surprise however, she saw a flying carpet above. Then she jumped into a bush when she saw it was going to descend exactly where she stood.

What surprised her most of all was not the carpet; it was the people who descended from it.

Her eyes widened most of all when she saw a man she dreamt about for days.

It was Toushiro.


	8. Apology

**Chapter 7: Apology**

_How come I could feel her somewhere here? But where is she?_

Toushiro was wearing his usual gigai, but he knew that she would know he was here. He looked around as if he expected her to be somewhere there. He turned to look at the others. They were looking around too.

Matsumoto was frowning.

"I could feel Karin, where is she though?" she whispered to Toushiro who shrugged, but he was wondering the same thing.

Rukia and Renji were looking for someone else though. They announced they were off to look for Ichigo. Byakuya, who was keen to keep an eye on Rukia 24/7 decided to follow.

Madarame and Yumichika stared at Toushiro.

"She's here." said Ikkaku.

"I wonder if she looks beautiful now?" asked Yumichika thoughtfully.

Hitsugaya started taking in the place, it has been 5 years and it did not look as different as he expected.

Then he stared at the bush, why was there some black thing inside?

_A cat perhaps?_

His heart started pumping as he went closer and reached for it, then he caught a whiff of a familiar scent.

"Karin, what are you doing there?" asked Toushiro, braver than he felt.

There was nervous laughter from the bush and Karin stood up and felt Toushiro's eyes lock with her again, after 5 years.

**HT/KK**

Karin stared at him from the bush, he looked taller. Probably taller than Ichigo was. His hair still shone bright and white, but he seemed to have an aura of battle and stress around him.

They seemed to be talking. Most of the looked the same, but there was two other old guys with them. One with long black hair, the other with fiery red hair.

Then she saw Rukia, red haired guy and black haired guy take off.

Ikkaku and Yumichika started talking to Toushiro and Matsumoto.

Then to her surprise, Hitsugaya started walking to the bush. Her bush.

_Oh damn! Did he see me?_

Baka_! __Baka__! __**Baka!!**_

Then he stopped a few inches from her bush. She thought she was safe, but surprised herself when she heard Toushiro say (in a voice different from 5 years ago),

"Karin, what are you doing there?" he said.

Karin laughed, nervously. Then she realized she had no choice but to face the music.

"Hi Toushiro, long time no see!" she said, her voice sounding a little too cheerful.

"Karin… I-" he started. But Karin, who was starting to regain her poise, jumped out of the bush with perfect balance and started to make a run for it.

She didn't know why, but seeing him there. Looking at her matter-of-factly, after giving her such a burden, made her sad and miserable at the same time.

And her only choice is to run away.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro leaped in shock as Karin started to run away, he didn't know what to do. Though he realized, she gained much better speed after 5 years and her now tall frame making her look like a track star.

But her heart was still weak after everything that happened.

When she disappeared in the corner, Matsumoto made a grab for Toushiro's arms and she said,

"Go after her taicho."

Then he looked at his fukutaicho. She looked so serious, he knew that she was right.

He shunpoed away, not even bothering to look back.

**HT/KK**

Karin ran faster and faster, feeling her gut starting to hurt, she went to the usual soccer field and sat on the bench, her heart thumping harder than ever.

It was not only because she ran to fast for a long way, but it was mainly because her heart cannot handle the suspense of it all.

Then even if she hasn't cried in years, she felt herself burst into unwanted tears, her cheeks splattering unstoppable things. The feeling was over powering.

"You're a pretty fast runner." said a voice behind her. She recognized it immediately.

"Go away, Toushiro. I don't want to talk to you." she said, not wanting anyone to see her that weak.

"Karin—"

He made to touch her but she shrugged him off.

"I know it has been a while…" he said as he sat down next to her with a loud thump.

Karin looked up at those words, he was watching her intently.

"A while? Damn you, Toushiro! It has been 5 years! _5 stupid years_! And I was starting to think I was _an idiot_ for even making a promise to _you_!" she cried.

Toushiro looked shocked to see her crying, but his expression softened when he heard those words.

"There was no time. And if I only knew how much I was making you suffer, I wouldn't have asked you to wait." he said quietly.

"Well you did make me suffer, and it is too late." she said her voice stony.

She wiped of her tears with the back of her hand and they just sat there in silence.

"Karin, im sorry I made you wait. Im sorry I was such an idiot. I just wanted to say I missed you." he said looking straight into her eyes.

The intensity of his gaze made her look away.

"I missed you too. A lot." she said, and stood up.

"Where are you going?" he asked standing up too.

"Play soccer of course, that's one way to be able to kick your sorry ass for making me wait." she said her face much happier now, and her now long hair swaying in the wind.

Toushiro smiled too, he missed the game.

**HT/KK**

The soccer game ended in a surprising note. Karin won by a landslide, she poured all her anger into the game and it resulted with a strong win.

They both sat on the bench again, panting.

"You've grown weak, Toushiro." said Karin with a note of amusement.

"I let you win." he said with a small smile.

"And besides, you deserve It." she said.

Then more silence.

"Why'd you come back anyway?" she asked. Turning to look at his blue green eyes.

_Battle worn. He grew a lot. Much more mature._

"There are a bunch of Arrancar's appearing at some farther part of Karakura town, we have more people now. As you have probably noticed." he said sighing.

"You mean red hair and black hair?" she said. Toushiro looked at her in awe.

"That's the 6th division's fukutaicho Abrai Renji and taicho Kuchiki Byakuya."

"Kuchiki? You mean black hair- I mean- Byakuya is related to Rukia-san?" she asked curiously.

"Kuchiki taicho adopted Rukia as his sister, when his wife who was her sister died." he said patiently.

"So apparently, Rukia is like his sister in law but he adopted her as his sister." She said, then added,

"Don't they have romantic feelings for each other?"

Toushiro's eyes widened even more than it really is.

"Don't say that Karin, it's against the law." he said, but he knew that Byakuya wouldn't commit that crime because he was too attached to the law… And thoughts like that would be beneath him.

Then more silence.

**HT/KK**

Karin was starting to blush, as if the feeling of it all was starting to come back to her. She turned and saw that Toushiro looked thoughtful and then she realized that they're hands were intertwined together.

Toushiro looked at his hands, they were holding hands. He started to blush and said,

"Karin, I was wondering if you want to have dinner with me tomorrow night. Nothing fancy, just a meal at Orihime's place." he asked anxiously.

"Inoue-san left you they keys? I thought she and everyone of Ichigo's friends are at college?" she asked.

"Yes, but she said we could stay over." he said not entirely truthful, but Orihime told them about the spare key below the potted plant, and that they could always come over anytime.

"Oh alright…" said Karin, excited at the prospect of dining with Toushiro again.

"Do you want me to bring you home?" asked Toushiro, it was getting late.

"Yeah. Yuzu would freak if she found out I left without permission." replied Karin.

They stood up, still hand in hand, started walking slowly back to the Kurosaki household.

Then they stopped and Toushiro looked at Karin.

"Im sorry… And I mean that, because I don't say it that often." He said.

Karin nodded and made to turn the doorknob. But a hand enclosed on her wrist. She looked at him. He had a pained expression on his face, the he pulled her closer.

Then he buried a kiss on her cheek and shunpoed back to his other home, Inoue's apartment.

Karin touched her cheek.

_Wow, it must have really been a long time._

_Yeah, but admit it._

_What?_

_That felt good didn't it?_

_Err—_


	9. When Arrancar attack

**Chapter 8: When Arrancar attack**

Toushiro shunpoed to the house, and saw that it was open. When he got in, Matsumoto jumped to Toushiro and smothered him with her large breasts.

"Get off me!" barked Toushiro in an annoyed way.

"So, how'd it go with Karin?" she asked.

"It went okay… Where are the others?" he asked, avoiding the subject.

"In the living room. So you have a date with her tomorrow?"

"Matsumoto… Have you been spying?" he asked in a dangerous whisper.

"I wouldn't call it spying… Just collective listening." she said, her face slowly turning red.

"_MATSUMOTO!!"_ cried an angry Toushiro.

But before he could do anything, a strong reiatsu knocked them off balance, then they felt it go away. Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku and Yumichika dashed to the room. Slowly followed by an impassive Byakuya.

"The Arrancar?" asked Hitsugaya. They nodded, except for Byakuya who popped in a substitute soul on his gigai, and out went his soul in his shinigami uniform with his taicho robe.

They all followed suit.

**HT/KK**

Karin felt the reiatsu and said out loud on the dinner table,

"What _the hell_ was that?"

Isshin, who could also feel it pretended not to and said,

"What are you talking about? The peas are delicious."

Karin glared at her father and asked permission to go out.

"No." he said firmly. "Its dinner time."

But actually he did not want Karin to go out, because he knew these Arrancar are stronger than the last time.

Karin tried to feel it again. There were three of them… But they were all above captain level. Or Toushiro's level.

When she finished her dinner in a rush, she dashed out without listening to her father saying she was not allowed to go out.

She ran faster until she saw them in the air. Hitsugaya was fighting a huge Arrancar with Matsumoto, the smallest but speediest was fighting Ikkaku, Yumichika and Rukia. The one who was really good at flash steps was battling Byakuya and Renji.

Then to her shock, the huge Arrancar punched Matsumoto flat on the face, and then she fell 100 ft. from the ground. Karin ran to help her. Her face was bloody and almost unrecognizable.

"Don't worry, will help you get to the clinic later." said Karin.

Matsumoto smiled painfully then said,

"I'll be alright. But you have to find help. Taicho will not be able to do it himself."

Then she fainted. Karin looked up again in the sky. Toushiro was bloody all over, and his bankai form was slowly losing its power.

The small Arrancar was gone, along with Ikkaku and Yumichika. Karin assumed they went somewhere else to do the fighting.

The bankai of Byakuya was released and thousand swords filled the air. Renji had collapsed on the ground too. Rukia thankfully had gone to get help.

Karin was about to stand up too. But another reiatsu had joined them. Which was all too familiar.

"DAD?" she said. Then she looked back. Her father was in shinigami robes and he looked menacing.

"Karin, stay back." he said. Then he released his zanpakuto and slashed one of the arms of the huge Arrancar.

Karin watched in awe as Hitsugaya sent a freezing blast to it. And then his part was over, he too fell to the ground. Karin ran faster than her legs would. Then she cradled Toushiro in her arms.

"Karin."

"It's going to be alright." she said and she stripped off a piece of her shirt and wrapped it like a bandage around his bloody chest.

Then she looked up in the sky, Byakuya had won his match. But he too looked bloody and mangled.

**HT/KK**

Right on time however a man named Uruhara and a woman name Yourichi came with Rukia. Instantly it seemed they were pretty good at contacting some people there.

A kid, who seemed like Karin's age, got them all healed.

Then they took Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Renji and Byakuya to the Kurosaki clinic. Ikkaku and Madarame showed up a few minutes later both looking tired but had a few scratches.

The kid named Hanataro done a pretty good job, because even if they have bandages all around them, their skins showed no sign of being attacked.

Karin started to wonder if she could have some of those. Every time she played in a soccer match versus another school, she always ended up with a lot of scars.

But there was no time to think about that now. She looked over at Toushiro who was lying at the farthest corner. She sat on his bed and stroked his hair.

He looked so calm, and she always liked his face like that. But seeing him wrapped in bandages made him look so helpless, it made her want to strip it all off. But she knew better.

She bent to his ear and said almost laughingly,

"Get better alright, Toushiro? You owe me a date tomorrow." she said.

Then he stirred and opened his eyes and stared in amusement.

"I owe you dinner. I don't need reminding you know." he said.

Karin laughed and without anymore words she kissed him on the forehead.

"I'll see you later. I have to get some sleep." she said.

Toushiro nodded and said,

"Karin, good night. And thank you."

"No problem. Good night, Toushiro." she said with a nod.

**HT/KK**

Karin went up to her room, and sunk into her bed. She was exhausted. There hasn't been this much action in quite some time.

She smiled to herself.

_Toushiro is back. What do you have to say for youself?_

_Three words._

_What?_

_I kissed him._

_It was on the forehead._

_I want him to initiate the real kiss._

_Yes, but you can too._

_We'll see tomorrow._

Then she took the box where the bobble head was then told it,

"You happy? I don't have to cry on you tonight." she said, as the bobble head nodded vigorously


	10. School surprises

**Chapter 9: School surprises**

Karin woke up with a backache. Last night was very eventful, but she couldn't put into her mind why it was.

_Was it just a dream?_

She checked the clock. It was 5:55. She woke up before the alarm clock did. Since it was a Wednesday, she had to go to school. She grunted and planted her feet firmly on the ground.

"Was it just a dream?" she repeated out loud to herself.

She shook her head, it seemed tired. Maybe it was real. She closed her alarm clock, then made her way to the clinic.

Their house never changed its look even when Ichigo left. It was still the same, and she passed the huge portrait of her dead mother. She smiled at it then blew it a kiss.

Some people would find it shocking, but whenever Karin's day started horribly, she blew her mother a kiss and it all turns out better.

Then she went to doorstep to check for mail, she picked it up, there was a letter from Ichigo there.

"Ichi-nii!" she whispered to herself.

Inside the letter indicated, he was coming home for the holidays. Karin re-read the letter until she entered the kitchen, not bothering to look up as she sat down.

She pocketed the letter, then heared someone bustling to her left.

She looked up expecting her father and said,

"Onii-san is coming for the hol—"

Then stopped. Sitting at her left was none other than Kuchiki Byakuya, who was surveying her. His hands were on the table and his face shown no emotion. In front of her was Toushiro, who looked shocked at her presence.

"Good morning?" she said, then stood up but Toushiro stopped her.

"It's okay, Karin. We were about to leave anyway." he said.

Byakuya was still looking at her.

"Is this _the human girl_ Rangiku-san was talking about, Hitsugaya?" asked Byakuya to Toushiro.

"Yes. She is Kurosaki Ichigo's sister." he said his face impassive.

Karin was beginning to wonder why Toushiro was acting so different today. It was as if she was only a subordinate and not his date later tonight.

"You know the rules, it is not proper for a taicho to get involved with a human." said Byakuya coldly.

"And you care _so much _for the rules, right Kuchiki taicho?" replied Hitsugaya in an icier manner.

Karin was beginning to understand. A taicho or someone from soul society in particular is forbidden to have a relationship whatsoever with a human.

_Then why did he ask me out in the first place?_

Byakuya stiffened.

"Caring so much for the rules, you were willing to sacrifice your sibling." drawled on Hitsugaya.

"I did not have a choice." said Byakuya curtly. "And besides, I fixed it."

"Are you quite sure Rukia has forgiven you?" asked Hitsugaya.

Byakuya looked at him with dislike.

"I do not have a point to care if she has ever forgiven mo. Henceforth, that is particularly why I am here. To repay my debt, not only to her, but to my late wife, Hisana."

With that he stood up, and held his hand out for the doorknob.

"I do not care for what you do her, Hitsugaya taicho. But remember what I said." he said coldly.

Then he turned to Karin.

"Tell Isshin that I am thankful for hospitality and that I have work to do. I'll see you later at Inoue Orihime's place." added Byakuya to Toushiro, who nodded stiffly.

Then he left swiftly, even in his Gigai he looked impressive and taicho-like.

Karin turned back to Toushiro.

"What was that all about?"

Toushiro smiled.

"It is part of the rules not to have a relationship with a human." he said matter-of-factly.

"Then what are you going to do with me?" said Karin, feeling her body starting to burn with anger.

"Do you actually think im not going to fight tooth and nail for you? Karin, you should know that Byakuya also done that once for his wife, and im not going to stop being with you just because of a stupid law." said Toushiro, with a smile.

"Are you sure?" asked Karin light headedly.

"Yes, don't doubt me Karin. Ive done my promises even if they took so long." said Toushiro.

They stopped talking for a while, trapped in their own thoughts.

"Toushiro, where are the others?" asked Karin.

"Ikkaku and Yumichika went to get some of those boxed food to deliver at Inoue's. Matsumoto is still at the clinic, and I don't plan to leave without her. Rukia and Renji are also out."

Karin nodded.

"I have to get to school." she said and stood up.

"Okay." then he too stood up and made to go to the clinic.

Karin watched his back than called out,

"Dinner later!"

Toushiro turned, his brow furrowed. Then he grinned and said,

"How could I forget?"

**HT/KK**

When Toushiro got in the infirmary, Matsumoto had her eyes open and in the sight of Toushiro, she smiled and said,

"Thank goodness. I thought everyone left me."

"Shut up , Matsumoto." he said and placed a palm on her forehead. "You seem to be okay."

Matsumoto jumped out of bed and took of her bandages and band aid.

"Taicho, how could you say that? Im not weak." she said, her boobs bouncing.

"Let's get going, I left a note for Isshin." said Hitsugaya and he dragged her out of the window.

They shunpoed from rooftop to rooftop, then they felt a hollow spike.

Without consulting each other, they popped in a substitute and told it to stay there.

Then Toushiro's eyes widened when he saw where the hollow was placed.

_Karakura High school_

**HT/KK**

Karin went out of the Kurosaki household, taking note that she couldn't feel Toushiro and Rangiku-san's reiatsu.

She started walking to school her head in the clouds.

"_Yes, don't doubt me Karin. Ive done my promises even if they took so long." said Toushiro._

She smiled.

_He is really serious isn't he?_

_Yes, I wonder what he is going to do?_

_Don't ask me, how could I know Im as clueless as you._

_I'll ask him later._

_Good idea._

Then as she came closer to the school, she felt a hollow close at her school. Then another reiatsu, it was Toushiro and Matsumoto's.

She ran faster and faster until she reached the school gate. There she saw tow figures battling the biggest hollow she has ever seen.

"Karin! Watch out!" cried Toushiro.

The hollow swiped in the air as Matsumoto slashed her zanpakuto at the hollow.

Then she remembered what Toushiro told her 5 years ago. This was a Menos Grande.

Then Toushiro released his shikai. And with one slash, it was gone.

"Toushiro, you alright?" she asked when they descended.

Toushiro nodded.

"There will be more Menos Grande now that we defeated the Arrancar." said Matsumoto.

"They will definitely be drawn now that we have so much spirit force in one place. It was enough when Ichigo was here. Now we added a whole bunch more." said Toushiro with a sigh.

"So more will come?" asked Karin.

"Yes, Karin, I need to place a guide at your house." said Toushiro.

"What? How about my dad? He is a shinigami." said Karin, shocked Toushiro even suggested.

"But he is not enough. Menos Grande are tough. And Isshin has not used his power for years." said Matsumoto.

"Im going to ask Rukia to stay with you." said Toushiro.

"But does that not mean Byakuya has to stay there too?" asked Matsumoto skeptically.

"Damn. Your right. Maybe you could stay there Matsumoto." said Toushiro. Matsumoto grinned and nodded.

"How about you, taicho?" she asked.

"Im going to stay on the roof." he said.

"WHAT?" cried Karin and Matsumoto at the same time.

"Isshin will not allow me to stay there." he said.

"Don't worry, ill handle my idiot father." said Karin with a smirk.

Then the bell rang in school. Karin sighed and started running for the gate.

"Bye! See you later."

Matsumoto giggled.

"What?" asked Toushiro irritably.

"You should have seen your face." she said then started laughing.

Toushiro glared at her, but when she continued laughing, a tick mark appeared on his head and he said,

"Im your taicho, and I have a right to strip of your badge off and station you somewhere else."

That silenced her.


	11. Burnt toast and meatballs on a stick

**Chapter 10: Burnt toast and meatballs on a stick**

After school Karin grabbed her bag immediately not bothering to address her classmates' cat calls about a soccer game.

Then before she could even exit her door, her soccer teammate Yusumi, stopped her with a fabulous kick on her bag.

Karin rolled her eyes.

"Where are you going? Don't you want to play soccer with us? And we have a tournament coming up soon!" said Yusumi with an exasperated sigh.

"I can't not today. I have a…uhh… Family meeting." said Karin quickly then she ran out of the door.

Yusumi smirked at her. Then the other team mates asked why Karin won't join.

"She has a _date_."

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked at the mirror. He had 5 hours to prepare for the date, so he sat on the couch and watched as Ikkaku retold his story to Rukia, who wasn't there.

Rukia laughed when Ikkaku said he attacked the other players on the team.

"And you attacked the ex too? Who happened to be bald huh?" she said. Byakuya was out (probably looking for Hollows, or Avoiding Toushiro), so she was her noisy self.

"I think she has a thing for ugly men." whispered Yumichika to Rukia none too loudly. Ikkaku boiled and said,

"Im not bald!"

"You are too!" cried Rukia.

"Am not!"

The fight seemed to go on forever until Toushiro screamed,

"Shut up you two!"

He looked at the clock. 4 hours 'till the date, and he hasn't cooked anything yet. He turned to Matsumoto with a somewhat pleading glare.

"Help me with the cooking. Karin will be here in a few hours." He said in a low voice only he and Matsumoto can hear.

"Ahah! So im right. How about the others? And Kuchiki taicho?" she asked him.

Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"You will keep them in tow for me."

Matsumoto groaned and Toushiro stood up and gestured for her in the kitchen.

"Nobody disturb us here." he told the others in a commanding im-going-to-attack-you-with-Hyourinmaru-if-you-do kind of tone.

They nodded and started talking again.

**HT/KK**

Panting, Karin entered her house and announced that she was home. Then she saw Isshin coming at her with a fierce hug.

Karin punched him with her fist which caused him to fall flat on the floor with a nose bleed.

"My daughter really is all grown up." he said as Yuzu handed him a tissue and he balled it up with his fingers and put it on his bloody nose.

"We have to talk." she said.

Isshin straightened up and nodded. Yuzu wondered why but she didn't ask.

**HT/KK**

"You can't cook?!" cried Toushiro when he went back to check Matsumoto's progress, so far she only had burnt toast and meatballs on a stick.

"Well, you didn't ask me if I could, taicho." she replied defensively.

"What am I going to do in 3 hours?" he asked her calmly, but inside he was so frantic. A taicho knows how to control his feelings.

Well, except for Kenpachi.

"I think you should go get ready. Im going to order some pizza." said Matsumoto with a smile.

"What?" asked Toushiro with a disgusted tone.

"Pizza. Its human food. Its round and it has all sort of topping on it. Ive seen it here. I even tasted it once!" she said proudly.

"Okay." he said, sounding doubtful that there is something like that.

He ran to the room and changed into something more comfortable.

**HT/KK**

Isshin looked anxious as they both sat down on the armchair.

Karin had her legs crossed in a scary sort of way that would send the weakest of guys running for cover.

"How come you didn't tell me you were a shinigami?" she asked angrily.

"How should I know you know about it? Ichigo does not know either." he said.

"Baka! How could I not know when my brother is a shinigami and my date is a taicho for Gods sakes!" she cried with face full of fury. She stood up and she looked towering.

"Forgive me my precious daughter. I did not know…" he said as he bowed down in front of her.

Karin glared at her father and stomped away. Isshin grabbed her leg and held on as she tried to get him off.

"I hate you!" she said angrily. Isshin let go and started crying anguished.

She ran up to her room and banged the door shut, as she started to get ready for her date.

**HT/KK**

Karin wore a simple racer back top, with a sporty jacket and Bermuda shorts which she borrowed from Yuzu.

"You look wonderful nee-san." said Yuzu handing her a lip gloss.

Karin swiped it. She really did grow in 5 years. Now she is not much of a tomboy but a real teenager who likes lip gloss and dressing up. But deep inside she is still the same shorty who likes soccer and fighting middle schoolers.

"Are you going to date Hitsugaya-kun again?" she asked knowingly.

"Yeah. He is the only one I bother to date." said Karin in reply.

Then she was ready. She had to admit, she looked really pretty ever since she could tie her hair in a ponytail.

**HT/KK**

_What is this thing?_

He saw a tube of white sticky stuff on the shelf, next to the chappy the rabbit substitute pills.

He squeezed some on his hand, and smelled it.

_It smells odd._

The he put some on his hair and instantly it hardened.

_What's wrong with my hair?!_

He frantically tried to comb it, but to no avail, the comb stuck on his hair. Then he checked the table.

**/Bench Fix styling hair gel**

And below it was written in on a piece of scotch tape was:

**Property of Madarame Ikkaku**

"_Madarame!!"_ screamed Toushiro. Instantly, Ikkaku stormed into the room with a scary grin.

"Where is the hollow?" he asked when he saw that Toushiro looked angry.

"No hollow. What is this stuff? And why is my hair hard?" he asked Ikkaku, who took the bottle.

"Its hair gel, Hitsugaya taicho." he said matter-of-factly. "Its styles the hair so it won't move."

"And you own it?" asked Toushiro skeptically, as he stared at his bald head.

"Yes." Then he went out.

Toushiro started to wonder where he puts the hair gel. But when he looked at the clock there was only 30 minutes left until his date comes.

He ran downstairs then into the kitchen to see a huge square box and it smelled good.

**HT/KK**

Karin went downstairs to find her father sulking on the corner, his face was unreadable. Karin giggled.

_He took it seriously didn't he?_

_Yeah he did._

Then she announced she was leaving, he did not budge even a little. So she went out and closed the door behind her.

After a few seconds she poked her head inside and said in a cheerful voice,

"I don't hate you. I love you!"

Then she closed it again, in time to hear Isshin's squeak of delight and happy sobs of joy.

She walked slowly to Inoue's house with a smile.

_It's been a long time since I actually dressed up._

_I wonder if Toushiro dressed up too._

Then she passed by the park, she saw the place where she first met Toushiro, and he was still typing on his cell phone.

She breathed in the fresh air, and she shivered in delight when she realized she was happier than she has been in days.

She clutched her jacket and started running to Inoue's house, her feet working on its own.

**HT/KK**

"I can feel her reiatsu. She is coming nearer." he told Matsumoto as they sat on the kitchen table, she nodded and made to keep the others in tow.

Toushiro heared her say,

"Let's go watch a movie!"

There was a bustle and he heared Rukia say,

"I haven't seen one of those. And I was here longer than any of you."

Then he heared them slam the door shut.

Toushiro smirked.

_Typical._

**HT/KK**

Karin knocked on the door, and it opened instantly.

"Karin." said Toushiro, then he let her in.

"Hey Toushiro, so what are we going to do?" she asked.

"There is some peet saw." he said, and pointed to the direction of the kitchen.

"You mean, Pizza." said Karin, with a giggle.

Toushiro blushed and guided Karin to the kitchen, his hand on her waist.

**HT/KK**

Outside, Matsumoto lead them to the side of the house, just near a window.

"Rangiku-chan, what are we doing hiding in a bush? I thought we are going to watch a movie." asked Renji. "Does it involve Ichigo's little sister? Because I can feel her reiatsu."

Matsumoto nodded then put her finger on her mouth.

"You do know this is called eavesdropping do you?" said Renji with a smirk.

Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rukia, and Matsumoto said at the same time,

"It's called collective listening!"


	12. The pizza, the dance and more

**Chapter 11: The pizza, the dance, and more collective listening**

Karin was being dragged by Toushiro to the kitchen. But she could feel her cheeks burning by his touch.

She smiled as she looked at her right. He was most probably 5'11 now. And she was only 5"2. Toushiro looked around and pulled a chair open for her.

"Hmm Toushiro, I didn't think you were such a gentleman!" said Karin beaming at him as she sat down.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about Me." said Toushiro opening the pizza box. Since it was his first time, he surveyed it with curiosity. Then he looked closer. Then he picked up a round red piece of meat.

"It's called pepperoni. And this is a pepperoni pizza! Its yummy." said Karin, after watching him put it in his mouth and raise an eyebrow.

She picked up a piece of pizza.

"What is that yellowish thing sticking the pizza together?" asked a curious Toushiro. He blushed. He never felt unknowing all his life.

"Its cheese. Melted cheese. And im guessing you don't have cheese at Soul Society?" said Karin taking a bite.

"We do have cheese. But we don't have pizza over there." he said. Then he took a piece and bit it.

When he finished swallowing a piece he said,

"That's good." he said with a nod.

"Toushiro?" said Karin with a goofy face who already had her 3rd piece.

"What?" asked Toushiro.

"You have a piece of onion on your cheek." she said. Toushiro wiped it, but there wasn't anything there.

Karin burst into laughter and smiled at Toushiro.

"You really are gullible, Toushiro_ taicho."_ she said mocking the word taicho.

Toushiro frowned. Karin noticed he turned quiet so she cocked her head to the side and said,

"Don't take that prank personally. You should laugh sometimes, it would be good for you." she said beaming at him.

Toushiro picked up another piece and finished it in 4 bites.

When they were done eating, Toushiro let out a burp. Karin giggled.

"_Excuse you_!" then she burped too. Toushiro smirked and said,

"Excuse you too. That was weak, Karin. I expected better of you."

Then they burst out laughing. Toushiro smiled as he watched Karin try to control her giggles.

_She's right. I _should_ laugh more._

**HT/KK**

The others were still watching outside. Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Rukia gaped as Karin and Toushiro burped.

"Oh my God. I haven't seen taicho burp before." said Matsumoto shocked.

"It's the gigai. Im telling you." said Renji, who let out a burp.

Yumichika looked over at him and his nose twitched.

"That is so un-beautiful. It stinks too." he said. Rukia, who has experienced her own burps laughed at them.

"It's natural here."

That's not the only thing that made them gape. When the couple started laughing, their jaws dropped so low on the ground, they could sweep using it.

"He is laughing!" pointed Rukia.

"Now ive seen everything." said Madarame his evil smirk making him look extra scary.

"Is this my taicho?" whispered Matsumoto, watching as he started smiling at Karin.

"He is so in love." said Yumichika.

"No way." the others said at the same time, bending over to watch at the window again. But they were gone.

"Living room. Quick!" pointed Matsumoto.

**HT/KK**

They both sat down and Karin grinned at Toushiro.

"Don't tell me that's the only thing we are doing." she said. Toushiro, who did not have a time to plan anything, said the first thing that popped in his mind.

"Let's watch television." He said, and she nodded.

Then Karin turned to MTV. A song began to play, and she turned it up.

The song was: A Whole New World

_I can show you the world_

_Shining, shimmering, splendid_

_Tell me, princess, now when did_

_You last let your heart decide?_

Karin smiled as she recognized the song from Aladdin. Toushiro who has never heared the song before thought it was perfect.

He stood up and held his hand for Karin to take.

"What?" she asked staring at the hand.

"Dance with me."

Then she smiled and took his hand, with a perfect twirl she landed on his chest. Toushiro grinned when he realized they fit perfectly with each other.

Then he swayed.

_A whole new world_

_A new fantastic point of view_

_No one to tell us no_

_Or where to go_

_Or say we're only dreaming_

Another twirl. This time Karin's hair twirled with her. Toushiro held her nearer then they moved with balance. Karin was smiling on Toushiro's clothes.

_A whole new world_

_A dazzling place I never knew_

_But when I'm way up here_

_It's crystal clear_

_That now I'm in a whole new world with you_

_Now I'm in a whole new world with you_

_Unbelievable sights_

_Indescribable feeling_

_Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling_

_Through an endless diamond sky_

Karin smelled in Toushiro's cologne. She couldn't recognize it. Toushiro was blushing when he realized what she was doing.

_A whole new world_

_Don't you dare close your eyes_

_A hundred thousand things to see_

_Hold your breath - it gets better_

_I'm like a shooting star_

_I've come so far_

_I can't go back to where I used to be_

_A whole new world_

_Every turn a surprise_

_With new horizons to pursue_

_Every moment red-letter_

_I'll chase them anywhere_

_There's time to spare_

_Let me share this whole new world with you_

Then Toushiro took Karin's hands with his then smiled and said,

"I really like you Karin."

Then his face came closer to hers and slowly they kissed each other.

_A whole new world_

_That's where we'll be_

_A thrilling chase_

_A wondrous place_

_For you and me_

The song ended, but the two were still kissing. Karin missed his kiss. She remembered reminiscing about it ever since they kissed 5 years ago.

Then they broke apart. Toushiro grinned.

"You sure can dance Toushiro." said Karin her face breaking into a huge bright smile.

"Like I said, there are a lot of things you don't know about Me." he said.

Karin turned off the television and sat down with her hands behind her head.

"Want to tell me?"

Then Toushiro sat down too with a loud thump and said cockily,

"I'll be glad to."

**HT/KK**

"They're dancing." said Rukia who was smallest and can bend over to watch in the tiny window. Only one person could watch.

"Dancing?" repeated Madarame his face showing no surprise.

"Aren't you surprised Ikkaku?" asked Yumichika, who pushed Rukia to watch. Matsumoto giggled.

"I told you, nothing will surprise me anymore." said Madarame.

"How about you Rangiku-san?" asked Rukia.

"No. Not really. Old man Yama-jin forced the Gotei 13 to be able dancers." she said.

Renji nodded.

"Unfortunately." he said.

Then Yumichika gasped.

"What?" they all asked at the same time, eagerly.

"They're… Kissing!" he said his face etched with shock.

They all pushed him aside and peaked in. They ignored Yumichika's angry muttering.

"I spoke too soon! Now ive seen everything." said Ikkaku.

"Taicho is kissing a girl!" pointed Matsumoto.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." said Renji goofily


	13. the sky and its stories

**Chapter 12: The sky, and its stories**

"Remember when you asked me why I liked the view of the sky?" asked Toushiro.

Karin nodded.

"You said it was because it brings back memories."

"Memories of my childhood. And my childhood friend." said Toushiro sadly.

"Why are you so sad?" asked Karin, who was looking at Toushiro's face.

"My friend was Hinamori Momo." he said.

When Karin did not say anything, he continued.

"She was the fukutaicho of Aizen Souske. I told you about him right?"

Karin nodded again.

"She was attached to him. Then when he faked his death, she was devastated," He said. "Even when she found out he was fake, she even said that I should save that man. She was driven crazy by grief.

" So since then, when she begged for me to save him, I couldn't face her ever again. Not as friends."

Then there was silence.

"You should talk to her." said Karin, with a comforting smile.

Toushiro looked at her questionably.

"It's been 5 years, Toushiro. Don't you think it's time to forget?" she said. "And don't tell me she never tried to rekindle your friendship."

"She did… She still does." He said. Then he felt his hands start to shake.

_What's wrong with me?_

Karin took his hands and said,

"It's natural to be afraid."

"Im not afraid. A taicho should never be afra-" he started. But Karin cut him off, somewhat rudely.

"Im not talking about the hollow afraid. Im talking about the love afraid. The friendship afraid. No one, not even a taicho like you could resist something like that."

Toushiro smiled and said,

"I'll try, for you." He added.

Karin beamed.

"You haven't heard my side of the story."

**HT/KK**

"My mother died a year after Yuzu was born." she said, remembering it almost too clearly.

She realized her hands were still intertwined with Toushiro's.

"Im sorry about that." said Toushiro, for the first time showing signs of sympathy.

"A hollow attacked her. Below at the river bank." she said. "I never knew about it until Ichi-nii said so 2 years ago.

"When I was a kid, my father always told me that my mother would be watching us at the sky. Of course I never knew about soul society back then." she said with a sad laugh.

"She would be in soul society by now." said Toushiro, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah. I was a cry baby when I was a kid. But when my mother died, I never cried again. Not in front of other people. But when I was alone, and I looked up in the sky, I always cried my heart out and told my mother how much I miss her.

"Then one day, when I was crying, I saw my mother smiling at me."

Toushiro nodded.

_She wasn't buried yet._

"I was so happy. Then I stopped crying, because I realized my father was right. He always tells me that I will be with her someday." she said, but this time she smiled.

"That's right. Im sure you will go to Soul Society. You haven't done anything wrong now did you?" he asked.

"Nothing serious. Just kicked middle schooler butt in the 4th grade."

"Hey. I helped." He said with a mocking pout.

"Yeah you did. Thank you, ive never told anyone about that story." she said with a smile.

"That was easy, all I did was listen." he said. "I'll be happy to do it again."

**HT/KK**

"They're just talking." said Rukia. The others were sitting on the grass. Renji was falling asleep.

"I don't care. If anything good happens wake me." said Renji.

Then a deep voice sounded behind them.

"Rukia?"

"What are you doing there lieutenant Abarai?" asked another voice.

They all jumped up, causing their reiatsu to spike.

"Oh damn." muttered Matsumoto and turned around.

Byakuya was standing behind them along with Urahara.

"Kuchiki taicho!" greeted Renji cheerfully matching it with a salute.

"Nii-sama." said Rukia with a bow.

"I say, what were you all doing there?" asked Urahara staring at one guilty face to the next.

Nervous laughter.

"We were uhh—" started Renji.

"Collective listening." said Matsumoto clutching her boobs.

Urahara stared at her then Byakuya opened his mouth.

"I do not want to know what you are doing there. But why did you leave Hitsugaya alone?" he asked.

"Alone? But he is with—" started Yumichika. But Rukia clasped a hand on his mouth.

"The television! No one is alone with a television around!" she said frantically.

She let go of his mouth.

"Don't do that again, it's very ugly." he said with a face.

"I felt another reiatsu 5 minutes ago." said Urahara.

"That would be Kurosaki Ichigo's sister." said Byakuya, with an all knowing glare.

The others bowed their heads.

"So? You were eavesdropping on their conversation?" asked Urahara.

"It's called collective listen—" said Ikkaku

"Shut up!" whispered Rukia to his side.

Then Toushiro went out to find them all talking.

"Why don't you all come in? I just had a visitor over, since they were all out for movies." He said.

"The Karin girl?" asked Byakuya with a glare.

"Yes. You have a problem with that Kuchiki?" asked Toushiro.

Since they were almost the same height, it wasn't very useful Byakuya lowered his glance on him with a death glare. Toushiro returned it.

"Not at all, Hitsugaya." he said.

"Good. So how about some tea? I see Urahara is here. Im sure we have something important to discuss."

Then they all stepped in, Byakuya and Urahara first. Toushiro who was behind Matsumoto whispered in her ear angrily.

"Im going to deal with you later. I can't believe you would eavesdrop on us when I told you that you should keep them in tow!"

Matsumoto froze, and then gulped.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro felt a reiatsu spike, and it was definitely Renji. Then he felt more, and realized everyone was there. Plus Urahara.

_Where they listening all this time?_

He turned to Karin,

"Go home now. They're all here." He said.

"Yeah, I know, I felt it," she said, and then she kissed him on the cheek and ran out of the door without another word.

She went inside her house, realizing that everyone seemed to be asleep. She went up to her room and sunk into bed.

_That was great._

Then she wiped off her makeup and took off her clothes. The smell of Toushiro was lingering on it.

Call her obsessed, but when she changed into her nightgown, she put the shirt right next to her and slept with it on her side.


	14. News

**Chapter 13: News **

"Matsumoto, im going to tell you this once, tell everyone else to go to their room." growled Hitsugaya, he was still very angry at her for her eavesdropping.

"But im a_ fukutaicho_, I have a right to—" but she was silenced with a last glare. She bowed at him and tottered out with a swish of her hair. When her orange-y hair disappeared out of the doorway, Hitsugaya turned and went in the room.

He was greeted immediately with a bow from Urahara, and a nod from Byakuya who looked like there really was news.

"What's going on?" asked Hitsugaya, his face in a serious frown. Byakuya crossed his arms and ignored the coffee cup in front of him. He was eyeing it with distaste.

"We received news from 12th division, that a huge hollow attack will come soon, but they don't have an exact date. And im talking about Menos Grande, and Huge Hollows all over the place." said Urahara. His cup was already half-full.

"What?!" cried Hitsugaya, this was more dangerous than he imagined. He knew that bringing this much shinigami in one place would be dangerous, but he never imagined that it would bring this much.

"Calm down, Hitsugaya. Yama-jin made a decision. He said that we have to leave soon, so that the hollow attack will cease." said Byakuya coldly, his eyebrows raised superiorly.

The former taicho, Urahara and Byakuya stared at him, as if waiting for what he has to say.

Hitsugaya was speechless, he wanted to stay here to be with Karin. But he has a duty to the Gotei 13, to keep the normal humans safe.

His insides froze as if Hyourinmaru attacked him, giving him a lecture.

He could almost hear it saying,

"_Don't be stupid, Hitsugaya. Karin is only one person. But the whole world is a billion_."

Toushiro frowned at himself. Is that what he would say?

"I think we should go back, what say you?" asked Byakuya. His face looked as if he knew what he was thinking inside his mind.

Hitsugaya glared at him.

"I do not have an option now don't I? We have to go back." he said, but his voice was so sad that it was almost too obvious. Byakuya blinked at him, then nodded.

"Good answer, taicho. I will go inform them now." said Byakuya, disappearing into Inoue's room. (That's where the big television is placed.)

**HT/KK**

Urahara looked at him in dismay. Toushiro fiddled with the cloth on the table.

"Is that what you really want, Hitsugaya-kun?" he asked Toushiro. Toushiro looked up, startled.

"What are you talking about? My duty is to the Gotei-- ." said Toushiro, but he felt his heart burn in pain.

_Karin._

"You haven't answered my question." said Urahara, raising his funny looking hat in a knowing glance.

"The Gotei 13… Soul Society." said Hitsugaya, in a downcast voice.

"Answer this question. Do you respect your heart?" asked Urahara. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I do." said Toushiro, but of course he knew what he was talking about.

"Im not talking about your heart health. Im talking about your heart heart." said Urahara.

Toushiro remained silent.

"That Karin… Ichigo's sister. You like her don't you?" asked Urahara. Toushiro bit his lip.

"I do." admitted Toushiro.

"Then, you should stay here." said Urahara.

"What are you talking about? We are leaving soon." said Hitsugaya, truly baffled.

"Im talking about you, fighting to stay here with her." said Urahara. "You have a choice Hitsugaya-kun… You have a right to submit yourself to someone else for a change."

"I—"

But he couldn't talk any longer, Byakuya entered the room. Toushiro glared pointedly at Urahara who looked like he was smiling.

"We are leaving 3 days from now. It is best if we tell the others, so they can deal with their _problems_ here as soon as possible." said Byakuya.

At the word "problems" he stared at Toushiro, who almost squirmed at his knowing gaze.

_What the hell do I tell Karin?_

_Why don't you think of what Urohara said instead, Shiro-kun?_

_Shut up, ive already made up my mind._

_So you are going to leave, Karin?_

Hitsugaya never felt this confused in his life. And to answer the question in his mind, he really didn't know, because he knew the answer was right in front of him. He just didn't want to admit it.

**HT/KK**

"Leaving already?" asked Matsumoto with a groan and a side glance to Toushiro.

"It's not a choice really." said Ikkaku understanding immediately.

"We haven't been here for a week, and the hollow attacks are getting worst by the minute. And besides, we have done our job with the Arrancar." said Yumichika, his arms folded.

Byakuya glanced at the clock and without any other word, he swept out of the room.

"Taicho, what about Karin?" asked Matsumoto. Rukia looked up and nodded sadly.

Hitsugaya wondered that himself then he went out of the room, and shunpoed to the park feeling the dread of asking the same person, if she could do the favor again… In which he knew the answer this time.

**HT/KK**

Karin woke up with a splitting headache. And she has school today.

"I didn't even drink last night…" she said and she massaged her head. She never drank, but she had her share of headaches.

She cast a look at the clock next to hear bedside table and her eyes widened.

It was 9 am and she was late for school.

She grabbed her uniform and dashed out of the room while fitting in her blouse. She cursed herself for sleeping late last night.

She saw her father sitting on the table, drinking coffee.

Then he looked up and said,

"Good morning. Where are you going?" he asked. Karin gritted her teeth. What kind of question is that!?

"School! Where do you think I'd go? Why didn't you wake me? Never mind… I have got to go!" she said and she slammed the door shut.

As she ran faster, she felt her father shunpo next to her, she glared at him and said.

"There is no school today, as you should have known." he said. Karin marveled by how her father actually knew shunpo.

"What!?" she cried angrily slamming her bag on the ground.

"Im sure they told you about it in school." he said. But deep down he knew she was busy with other things.

Karin tilted her head to the side, and remembered her teacher say something about today, but she was to occupied thinking about her date with Toushiro that she didn't bother to listen.

Karin laughed nervously, as her father stared at her knowingly. Then he went back into the house leaving her with a smile.

"Baka." She told herself. Then she went back inside and changed into something comfortable. She did not have much of a plan today anyway.

Then she heared a knock downstairs, and Yuzu saying,

"I'll get it!"

After a few seconds she cried,

"Karin! Toushiro is here."

Karin blushed and practically jumped in joy.

**HT/KK**

Then he went in the room, his face a grimace.

"What is wrong, Toushiro?" asked Karin, as she stared into his sad face.

"Karin, we have to talk." he said. Karin gulped.

"You are in my room, why don't you sit down?" she asked, with a half laugh, half nervous giggle.

"Thank you." he muttered as he sat down.

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"What is wrong, Toushiro?" repeated Karin.

He looked at her. And realized she was also as nervous as he is. It was as if she knew something was up, and it wasn't anywhere near good news for her.

"Im leaving in 3 days." he managed to say.

Karin looked at him, his face showed real sadness, and she realized he probably had no choice.

"I know that." she said. Partly she knew he would leave soon, and it didn't make it easier that she heared it from his mouth. Toushiro blinked away, hurt.

"Is it alright with you?" he said, after they allowed each other a moment of silence.

"No. But I know you don't have a choice do you, Toushiro?" she said curtly.

He froze, as he realized her tone was icier and unwelcome. Karin was slightly glaring at him.

"I don't. The Menos Grande have sensed a humongous spirit power here, and seeing as we have two captains, two lieutenants, and a whole bunch of shinigami bunched up in one place, they would definitely come here soon. So we have to go… It's also for your safety." he said. The look on Karin's face turned stonier.

"I don't know what to say. I mean, it was only last night that we actually spent time with each other for 5 years, and now you have to go? I don't understand it…" she said, her heart spilling uncontrollably.

"Karin, it's now my decision to make." He said, he took her hands, but she pulled away, and looked at the window. Karin crossed her arms angrily. Then she looked out at the sun.

"Remember when you asked me your favor 5 years ago?" she asked, her face lit by the early morning sky.

"I do." he said slowly. She looked at him determined.

"After 5 years, we are still together right?" she said, her voice getting louder with each word.

Toushiro nodded, wondering where this was getting.

"Toushiro, it was hard for me. It was hard for you. But even so, im determined to wait for you, even if it means more years." she said, and felt her heart sink at the thought, but she still felt determined just the same.

"I don't want you to wait for Me." said Toushiro. "I want you to have a life, Karin. When I came back, I found you sad and lonely, and I don't want that, it would be selfish and cruel. Please Karin, find someone else. Because—" he started.

"Because what?" asked Karin forcibly. She saw his eyes widen as Karin narrowed her eyes at him.

"Seeing you sad, makes me sad. Seeing you cry, makes me cry. Seeing you lonely, makes me lonely." he said, then added,

"Maybe that was the reason ive been feeling my heart burn with sadness, this past years."

Karin smiled at him sadly. Toushiro sniffed.

"Toushiro, it does not matter if im ever sad, I know you will come back for me… You keep your promises, I trust you." she said. Toushiro smiled at her.

Then they hugged each other, feeling the warmth of each other's body was comforting, and they couldn't have it any other way.


	15. Goodbye again?

**Chapter 14: Goodbye again?**

The next day, Karin and Toushiro made it a point to spend the whole day together, not caring or listening to what others had to say.

But as they spent more time there, the attacks got worse. Luckily it was far away from where they were.

The day before the leaving of Toushiro, they where both lying on their backs on the soccer field. They just had a very rigorous game of soccer, and they were exhausted.

"Toushiro, where _is_ Soul Society?" asked Karin. Toushiro looked at her.

"I don't know myself." he said, then they intertwined their hands together.

Then silence. It was so silent, they could hear the winds whisper. The stars started to twinkle again.

Then Toushiro's cell phone started to beep.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro's eyes opened and he checked his phone. Then he leapt up and left his gigai.

"What!?" asked Karin, in a panicky sort of voice.

"A Menos is coming right now. At this spot. Run away, Karin. Now." said Toushiro in a dangerous alert voice.

Karin nodded, and she heared a wail from above her. She looked up and saw a huge Menos pop out from the sky.

She screamed and her reiatsu spiked. Another Menos came out, and another. It was as if they were multiplying.

Soon there were 10 or so Menos out. Then she saw one coming after her. Toushiro turned around and dashed to her rescue, and with one swipe of his Zanpakuto the Menos screeched in pain.

Matsumoto and the others appeared and bounced around hitting them left to right.

Soon the others where all injured. She saw Yumichika bloodied and lying on the ground.

Toushiro has already released his Bankai, so has Byakuya. It was almost never ending, and her body felt paralyzed all of a sudden. She saw another Menos running to her, she screamed and next thing she knew she was slashed purely on the heart and her body fell on the ground.

She saw Toushiro from her blurred vision cry in anger and killed the Menos. Karin breathed heavily, her body was in so much pain, she couldn't breathe.

Then she felt her head being held up by Toushiro, a few minutes later.

She couldn't feel her body, but she could feel her pulse beating slowly.

"Karin, are you alright?" asked Toushiro, his face full of dread. Karin grimaced at him. OF COURSE NOT!

"I don't feel so good." said Karin with a weak smile, her voice was raspy and it was lost.

"I got you." he said, and he tried to cover her slash with his uniform, but it didn't help.

Karin looked up at him, his face was also dirty, and he had a deep cut on his shoulders.

"Im going to die." said Karin, as she felt her body almost say,

_It's time to let go._

"Don't say that. Hanataro can help you he can—"started Toushiro. Karin smiled at him sadly.

But with a weak shake of her head, she blinked at him. Her vision was almost gone and her heart was letting go.

Then he bent his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Karin, don't give up. You are too young to die." he said.

Karin smiled up at him,

"It's not a goodbye, Toushiro."

Then her heart gave out and then there was darkness.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro, saw the vision from her eyes turn a lifeless black, and her head sagged. He started to feel his eyes burn, and next thing he knew he was sobbing on her body.

Matsumoto knelt beside him and hugged him. He did not fight back at all.

"Im sorry, taicho." she said. Toushiro ignored her and clutched Karin harder. Her pale body cold against his.

Then Hanataro arrived and healed the injured. When he came to Karin, his face turned sad and he shook his head.

When Isshin came, it was worst of it all. He was crying so much, and he refused to talk to anyone. Yuzu was hugging her sister and crying at the same time.

Toushiro ran away, he didn't want to be there at all. He did not bother to shunpo, or make it anymore faster. All he wanted was his body to feel more pain.

_It's my entire fault._

_I should have protected her._

_And now she is dead._

He's knees buckled and he stopped at the place where he first saw Karin.

_A ball started falling from the hill, Toushiro was really good at handling things and he flawlessly caught the ball on his feet and wondered where in earth this came from._

_Then a girl, about 10 years old ran for it and she stopped short when she saw Toushiro._

"_You have to be careful with that. It could be dangerous." he said, as he threw the ball at her._

_She caught it and he took off, because he had work to do._

Then he ran more up the hill until he reached the place where it all started.

"_Hey you! What's your name?" she asked, as she watched him watching the sunset._

"_Hitsugaya Toushiro."_

_Then the others started saying stuff, he did not hear. He was too busy thinking about his memories._

He then realized, he didn't even know her name back then. He did not bother to ask it either.

He started crying again, and realized that he would never be able to see her again.

He didn't realize one bit, that at that moment a certain someone was looking at him.

**HT/KK**

Karin opened her eyes. Then she realized she was still in Karakura town.

She looked down and saw her body floating and semi transparent.

"Great im a spirit. Unfinished business huh?" she asked herself, and realized she probably has to do something to get back. But she couldn't remember what it was. She tugged the chain on her and rolled her eyes.

Her memories where still at the back of her brain, and she couldn't understand why she was dead.

Then a kid with snowy white hair, appeared in a run. And he stopped she realized he was crying.

Then she heared him cry shamelessly. All the memories starting coming back to her. Then she muttered,

"Toushiro."

At the sound of her voice he looked around and spotted her, staring at him.

"Karin." He said breathlessly. He couldn't believe it.

Then they came nearer to each other.

"Why are you crying, Toushiro?" asked Karin, as he wiped his tears on the back of his sleeve.

"You **died**, Karin." he said.

Karin giggled.

"You shouldn't cry. You know we will see each other again. We made a promise to each other." she said. Toushiro nodded, and realized she was right. "And besides, I would end up in Soul Society."

"Except right now you are a soul." said Toushiro, and he grasped his katana.

"_Soul Burial_." he said.

"I know. But wait, I am still a soul for a reason." she said, her face splitting in a wide smile.

"I was wondering about that. What do you think you have to do?" he asked.

"I have to do _this_." she said.

Then she kissed him full in the mouth. It was deep and it was mixed with so many emotions, no one could compare to it.

Toushiro kissed her back. And as they gasped for air, the gap of their mouths where cold, that they slammed their mouths to each other again.

Then after a few seconds, Karin hugged him and looked him in the eye.

"I don't know where I would end up, Toushiro. But I will find a way to get back to you." she said, as he kissed her again.

"Karin, I will find you. No chance of you going missing, as I am a taicho." he said, they grinned at each other.

And there was silence again, as they spent another minute watching the stars and then heavy rain started to pour.

Karin started to cry at the same time.

"Toushiro…" she said, as he released his zanpakuto and placed a kiss on her cheeks.

"Karin, what is it?" he asked, as he looked at her tear or rain stained face.

"Take me away, don't let me go." she said, in an anguished voice.

Toushiro hugged her again and whispered in her ear,

"I won't, Karin. I won't."

Then he took her hand. And with his other hand, watching her face split into a smile and her eyes shut in a ready look, he squeezed her hand and finally let his Soul Burial complete.

He watched as she smiled at him again, then saw her hand disappear from his.

Then she was gone.

"I will find you, Karin. No matter what happens."

He sat down on the railing and looked at the spot and could hear her whisper in his ear,

"Take me away, don't let me go…"

He blinked up at the sky, and saw one blink back then he smiled.

"I won't, Karin, I won't. How many times do I have to tell you?" he repeated.

He swore he heared her giggle back at him.


	16. At soul society

**Chapter 15: At soul society**

"Why does my body feel light?" a girl with dark black hair muttered as she stood from where she laid. She just opened her eyes after what seemed like a nightmare.

She looked around and gasped at her surroundings.

"Where am I?"

She turned and saw an unfamiliar path going to some place, she felt her body stiffen with delight. Karin Kurosaki loved exploring, and she smiled as she saw it was well lit and her body felt so fresh from her nap.

She ran to the path that seemed endless, her body wasn't giving away, as if she didn't have anything to lose.

Then she heard some leaves rustle from her side. A kid about 6 smiled at her and asked,

"So, you're dead too, huh?" the blond haired girl asked.

Karin felt her head explode as a bunch of memories started flooding back.

Karin started to cry at the same time.

"_Toushiro…" she said, as he released his zanpakuto and as if placed a kiss on her cheeks._

"_Karin, what is it?" he asked, as he looked at her tear or rain stained face._

"_Take me away, don't let me go." she said, in an anguished voice._

_Toushiro hugged her again and whispered in her ear,_

"_I won't, Karin. I won't."_

**HT/KK**

"I will find you, Karin. No matter what happens."

He sat down on the railing and looked at the spot and could hear her whisper in his ear,

"Take me away, don't let me go…"

He blinked up at the sky, and saw one blink back then he smiled.

"I won't, Karin, I won't. How many times do I have to tell you?" he repeated.

He swore he heared her giggle back at him.

Hitsugaya Toushiro put back his zanpakuto and sat down on the downy grass, he sighed and tore a blade off in started tearing it up.

Matsumoto appeared all of a sudden. She grasped his shoulders and said,

"I saw everything, taicho." she said. Toushiro ignored her and heared her say in his ear,

"We are leaving tomorrow. Maybe you should get some sleep."

"Matsumoto, why don't you sleep over there. I'll be here the whole night. When the clock strikes 6 am tomorrow, I'll be there." said Hitsugaya taicho with a no-nonsense look.

Matsumoto nodded without another word and started walking away, then she looked back and saw Toushiro tear another blade from the grass.

She sighed and scratched her orange-y hair.

Matsumoto Rangiku was a busy woman, but there were a few things that made her sigh from time to time. That was meetings, shopping and seeing her taicho sad.

And maybe you could guess why she sighed this time.

**HT/KK**

"Tell me, you just found out you were dead?" asked the blond.

"No. Where are we, Blondie?" asked Karin tapping her head with her knuckles.

"Rukongai. And my name is Uruusai Kenta. You are?" she asked her eyebrows high up in her forehead.

"Kurosaki Karin. Listen kid, do you know where I can stay?" asked Karin, ignoring Kenta giving her the death glare.

"Look here, Kurosaki. Im not a child. I died a child. But I have been living here for almost 50 years, and seeing how you look, you are barely 17, am I right?" sneered the midget.

"Okay, your right. Sorry, how could I know? I thought only shinigami were like that. My boyfriend was." said Karin, wondering if boyfriend was the word for their relationship. She then realized, he never asked her to be his." Anyway, do you know where I can stay?"

"You can stay with me for the mean time." she said, then frowned. "Who's your boyfriend?"

"Oh! Hitsugaya Toushiro." said Karin.

Kenta's jaw dropped.

"Hitsugaya taicho?" she asked her face looking absolutely flabbergasted.

"Oh yeah, is that a bad thing? I met him in the real world, and we are sort of going out."

"It's illegal, Karin. Don't you know that?"

"Yeah, I do. But he says he'll be able to bend that rule." said Karin then added,

"I died in his arms. He died protecting me. In fact, he was the one who did my Soul Burial." she said. Kenta shifted to her other leg and pointed lazily at her.

"I don't know about you, but you're lucky you ended up here if you want to see Hitsugaya again." said Kenta with a grin.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Rukongai is right in front of Soul Society. Taicho and lieutenants always visit once in a while." she said, then she gestured for her to follow.

They walked a path the led to the village, Karin grinned as she realized that children were playing her favorite sport, soccer.

They stopped short when they saw a huge man, almost like a giant cracking his knuckles and guarding the gate.

Karin grimaced and tilted her head to the side to see what the gate looked like.

"Oh!" she cried. It was a huge gate, and it was almost impossible to open by herself.

"Yeah, I know. Maybe you'd have to wait for them to come back, and look for you." said Kenta.

Karin felt her head drop. Then they started walking to a tiny house at the side of a soccer field. This was Kenta's house. Karin entered the room. Kenta laid all her food on the table and turned to Karin.

"It's not much. But I like it, in a sort of cramped crazed sort of way, don't you think?"

Karin looked around.

There was a bed laid on a sturdy table that had bricks under. There was a small pail that had water in it. There was also a mini kitchen with some fire logs.

Karin looked over at Kenta who looked apprehensive. Karin forced a smile and put her hand on a table.

"I love it." said Karin half-true, she was looking out the window to the soccer field.

Then Kenta grimaced as she saw the rickety table crash, with Karin. Karin fell with a loud,

"Ouufff!"

Karin jumped up and hurriedly started dusting her pants, and made to fix the table when Kenta waved her off.

"No, don't. I'll get it fixed soon. Why don't you go look around, while I fix dinner." said Kenta with a motherly smile. Or as motherly as a baby face could get.

Karin smiled back, nodded and turned to her heal. She practically bounded out the door to the soccer field.

The children looked over at her as she started running over. They looked shocked to see a towering 5"3, trying to grab the ball from them.

"Uh, miss? We are sort of playing." said kid number one who was holding the ball.

"It's Karin. Anyway, I want to play with you guys." said Karin with a wave of her hand that made the kids back off.

Kid number two whispered to kid number one then kid number one handed the ball over to her with a scared sort of smile.

"No. Im sorry, don't be scared of me. You guys play." said Karin, not wanting to spoil their fun. But she was extremely disappointed.

She threw the ball to kid number three and turned to explore more.

**HT/KK**

Karin sighed, she was tired for the first time that day. She laid on the ground and looked up in the sky.

"Hmm. Toushiro was right. There are no stars in Soul Society." said Karin, but she spotted the moon. Karin was partially happy that she could see something that she saw everyday in the real world.

She continued looking up in the sky, feeling that he was looking at it too.

**HT/KK**

Her back started to ache, when she stood up so that she can go back and eat dinner with Kenta.

She ran, to the then unfamiliar but familiar now path. She memorized them all, and she was exhausted and hungry.

When she saw the soccer field empty, she wanted to go play, but thought the better of it. She knew it would be rude for Kenta who took her in.

She spotted the hut and ran inside. Kenta was sitting on a stool eating a ripe fruit.

"How was it?" asked Kenta lazily.

"Fantastic. Im starving." said Karin, when she heared her tummy rumble.

"You're hungry?" said Kenta slowly.

"Yes. But I don't mind if you didn't make any food! I found some fresh trees there with fruits." said Karin quickly.

Kenta smirked and opened a pot, that produced delicious smelling food.

"Don't worry, I cooked a meal. But are you really hungry? Because of you are that means only one thing." said Kenta falling to her feet.

"What?" said Karin, scared of what she might hear.

Kenta stood right in front of Karin, they're faces closer than close.

"You have soul slayer blood, Karin." she breathed. Of course, this was not exactly rare in Rukongai. But it was a big thing for her to have one right in front of her.

"Oh, I know that. I do produce reiatsu especially when I get shocked." said Karin with a smile, as she remembered the bush.

Kenta looked at her again, then went to bed.

"Im going to sleep, help yourself to food."

Then almost instantly Kenta started snoring.

Karin stared at her then went for the food.

"This is really good." muttered Karin after the third scoop.

Then Karin washed her face and body then put back her clothes, starting to wonder how and where she was going to get clothes.

She laid next to Kenta, who turned and gave her more space. She was really tiny.

"Toushiro, where are you?" whispered Karin, and she blew out the candle and closed her eyes, wishing he was there.


	17. Greeneyed monster

**Chapter 16: Green-eyed Monster**

Toushiro stood up. He was there the whole night, and his back felt like a hollow sat on it. He brushed of the dirty mud that gathered on his back and shunpoed back to Inoue Orihime's house.

He was thinking all night, and he knew that if he looked at any mirror or any lighting conditions, his eye bags will be very obvious. He shook his head as a thought popped in,

'Maybe I should ask Matsumoto if she has that concealer thing she always blabbers about'

He scrunched his face in disgust.

Then he finally arrived at her house. He barged in the door without a knock and found his face punched by a large hand.

When he finally regained his conscience, he saw Ichigo staring at him, his face full of fury, dislike and what looked like tear marks.

He tried not to laugh and imagined what Ichigo would look like when he cries, but he realized the reason Ichigo punched him flat on the face.

"Listen, Kurosaki. Karin is-" He started, but almost received another smack from Ichigo, but he dodged it expertly.

"Shut up! I know she is dead, and it is _your_ reason why!" spat Ichigo, the protective self in him firing again. Even if Karin is already dead.

"And why is it my reason?" said Hitsugaya calmly, but he felt his face burn in anger.

"Because you lured her into you! That's why. If she didn't start dating you, she'd probably still be alive." cried Ichigo.

"Oh! It's my fault now? Didn't you realize that even if I didn't start with her, she'd probably still be attacked by a hollow? And don't you see that her reiatsu is strong enough? Don't you know that she is not a damn shinigami? And without you there… Without you there, she has no chance!" boomed Hitsugaya, he felt his eyes sting with tears, but fought in what else dignity he had.

Ichigo backed off and his face showed no emotion then he burst out all of a sudden,

"Im going to Soul Society with you, damn it!"

Hitsugaya, who had his face in his hands looked up, hearing it crick.

"Damn gigai… It's so weak. Anyway, I don't think so, Kurosaki. It was I who did an excellent Soul Burial to her. And it will be me, who will find her." said Hitsugaya, one eyebrow raised superiorly.

"I am her brother, Hitsugaya! You don't have a choice but to bring me!" boomed Ichigo.

"It's Hitsugaya _taicho! _And I don't care of you are. You will not come with us and that's-"

But then he was cut off by a loud cough from his side, Ukitake Jyuushiro was standing there. His face was pale, but he looked like he digested enough of the conversation to gossip with the others. But he wasn't like that, was he. He looked serious and beside him was Kuchiki Byakuya, who looked un-caring. Rukia, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Renji and Matsumoto had their mouths open.

There was a portal next to them and Ukitake was gesturing to Toushiro to be first, as he was about to go in, Ichigo made to punch him, but Ukitake blocked it. Hitsugaya turned to look and wanted to reprimand him, but Ichigo blasted forward and ran faster, his legs not planning to let go anytime soon.

Ikkaku smirked and said,

"He is coming, alright."

Hitsugaya gave him the death glare and muttered,

"I'll throw him out of Soul Society as soon as I find him"

"I don't think so, Hitsuagaya taicho. I think he deserves the right to go look for his sister." said Ukitake, who remained silent until now.

"Yama-jin will probably be the one to force him out." said Byakuya, with his deep voice. Then without another word he entered the portal.

Rukia and Renji walked on, then Yumichika and Ikkaku.

Ukitake looked at Hitsugaya, who seemed frozen on his steps.

"You'll find her, Toushiro." said Ukitake, giving him a small smile.

Hitsugaya nodded at him and ran forward, then he heard the portal close, as soon as Ukitake entered it.

**HT/KK**

After running and running, he finally reached the end and felt his gigai fall off, and saw a very familiar place.

He felt his body re-energize. Soul Society was comprised of spirit particles.

Ukitake stepped out of the portal and grinned at him.

"Welcome back." He said, then they all walked back to their quarters silently. Ichigo was nowhere to be found.

Hitsuagaya and Matsumoto went back to the 10th squad. There was silence all the way, that made Matsumoto restless so she said,

"I know, we have a lot of work to do. But can I please go get some sleep first, taicho?" she said in a begging and groaning voice.

"Shut up, you know we have a lot of work to do." he said, but his mind was still in Karin.

He looked over at the sky, somewhere here, Karin was just hanging around.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro entered his office, ignoring the greetings of his squad. Matsumoto sat on the couch and groaned at the amount of paper work over loading over at the table.

"Maybe I could just-" started Matsumoto, eyeing the sake bottles near the trash bin.

"No. You can't." said Hitsugaya, and he started doing the work, in top speed.

But he really can't concentrate.

_Damn it, I have to go look for her._

_But that won't be easy now._

_I don't care._

Then without another word, he jumped off his chair and ran to the gate, then he did a double take on Matsumoto and said,

"Let's go look for Karin." he said. Matsumoto gaped at him, but followed suit all the same.

**HT/KK**

They both passed by the halls, though it was very complicated to go around, the feeling of want made it easier for Toushiro.

Then they reached the Western Gate, right in front of Rukongai, where he thought Karin would have most likely went.

He tapped the gate with his knuckles and it opened instantly. Then he was immediately greeted by Jidanbou, the guard with the big axe.

"Ah, Hitsugaya taicho and Matsumoto fukutaicho, do you have any business out here?" he asked, his height towering them both.

"Yes, has Kurosaki Ichigo passed by?" asked Toushiro. Jidanbou scratched his chin stupidly and grinned.

"No. But if he does, will I alert the 10th squad?" he asked. Matsumoto rolled her eyes, and smiled as a crowd started gathering around them.

"No need. I'll be passing by here with a someone later." He said. Jidanbou nodded and closed the gate behind him.

"I don't know about you, but I think it won't be easy, after all, what are the chances that Karin will be here?" asked Matsumoto, ignoring the people pointing at her huge breasts.

"I can feel her reiatsu here, but it seems to be dangling." He said, with a smile. Now it seems so strong that he thinks he can thread it.

Matsumoto opened her mouth to say something, but Toushiro silenced her with a glare.

He closed his eyes and concentrated.

Since he was a top shinigami, he knew how to find people just by their reiatsu.

Then after some time, spirit threads appeared out of someplace, Matsumoto blocked the people who were staring their eyes wide in surprise.

Toushiro's eyes opened wide too, then he grasped her spirit thread and gestured Matsumoto to follow, he ran fast and stopped. She was close, and he felt like a guard dog all of a sudden.

Matsumoto stopped him and said,

"Taicho, I think we should get back now." she said, "It's getting late, and I haven't done my work yet."

Out of the corner of his eyes there was a soccer field.

_Karin!_

He ran over to a nearby tree and looked over the soccer field, then he ordered Matsumoto to follow him.

They were hiding like idiots at the tree when he remembered that Karin can sense reiatsu too.

"Matsumoto, hide your reiatsu. Now." he ordered.

Then they both looked over the field. There were children there, playing soccer.

Toushiro almost groaned in disappointment when he saw her.

She was sitting on the grass nearby, eating a fruit. But she wasn't alone, she was with a small blond kid, and a boy. The boy was talking to her, and she was responding animatedly.

Toushiro felt his body burn with jealousy as he saw them start playing soccer, they looked like they were having so much fun, that he forgot to hide his reiatsu.

Karin then looked over at the tree then made her way to it, dismissing the boy, who went with the small blond kid at her house.

She went to the tree but when she got there, he was gone.


	18. Discovery of an old friend

**Chapter 17: Discovery of an old friend**

The next day, Karin felt happier than she ever was. She had a funny feeling she was going to see Toushiro today. Mainly because she knew that today was the day that he was going back to Soul Society.

Kenta was not there, and Karin figured she was probably out getting some more fruit. Her body was refreshed from her nap, even if her clothes were already 2 days old.

She went out and stretched as far as she could. Then she found someone staring at her carrying a pail of water.

"What are you staring at?" asked Karin, a little too harshly. She recognized her tone and added,

"Good Morning!" The boy stared at her and put the pail down, most of the contents spilling out. He started coming nearer and nearer, and said in a squeaky sort of voice,

"Is Kenta-san there?"

Karin raised an eyebrow and shrugged. She was about to go away when he called after her.

"Hey!"

When Karin looked back he was running to her, his hands raised in a surrender. Then her eyes widened when he tripped over a rock and fell flat on his face.

Karin cursed his clumsiness, and looked around. Luckily, no one seemed to be watching. She ran over to him all the while trying not to laugh.

"You okay there, dude?"

The boy looked up, his face full of mud and grass. Karin instinctively gave him a hand and she wiped it on the back of her jeans.

Then with one hand, he wiped of the mud. When he got clean enough, he stretched out his hand and Karin took it.

"Im Yuuichi Shibata, been here for 5 years. Im guessing you are new? Haven't seen you before, you look like someone I know though… I just can't put my mind in it…"

"Ah yes, Im Kurosaki Karin, ive been her for 2 days." she said with a smile.

"Kurosaki huh? That name sounds familiar." But he just shrugged and let it go.

"Maybe you have heared of Ichigo? He's my brother." She said, proudly.

"I don't remember… Do you want some water?" he offered his pail.

"Uh, no thanks… Im really hungry though." Muttered Karin. Shibata looked over at her.

"Hungry? Are you a death god or something?" he asked, his face full of awe.

"No. But Ichi-nii is… Where did you come from?" she asked as they sat down on a rock.

"Karakura town! How about you?"

"Me too. Actually, I have known about Soul Society for as long as I can remember." said Karin, munching on a fallen apple. Then she spit it out, when she realized it was full of dirt.

Shibata laughed and said in a thoughtful voice,

"You know, I died a bird."

Karin giggled, but stopped as his face looked serious.

"Damn, a bird. That is so… Crazy! How? Why?" asked Karin, excited to know how it happened, though she felt like it was familiar too.

"It's a long story." waved off Shibata.

"Ive got a lot of time." said Karin, a supportive face shining.

"Well, my mother died. More of was killed by a murdered, before my eyes when I was a kid…" then he stopped, tears starting to form, but he stopped himself, when Karin grabbed his hand.

"Wait! Bird… Mother killed… Oh my- of all the-" she stuttered as memories flashed in her mind, that night in the Kurosaki clinic.

_Sado was carried by their father inside the clinic, he was frantically pushing orders to them when she looked over at the bird cage clutched on Sado-kun's hand._

_Then suddenly a memory flashed in her mind, her body froze as she looked into his eyes:_

_A man suddenly entered their room, kicking the door on his way. A strikingly beautiful woman, was carrying a child. The man laughed, and pushed the woman. _

_The kid fell on the floor, and the woman started begging for mercy, tears in her eyes._

_The man reached in his coat for a knife, slashing in the air. The mother reached for the kid and covered him with her body. At this, the man laughed again and stabbed the woman straight to the back. She screamed, but still covered the child. Then another stab. She writhed, and the kid forced himself of the mother._

_Blood splattered all over the place, then the kid grabbed the man's leg._

_The man went off balance and instinctively tried to take the kid off, but lost his balance, and crashed into a thin layer of glass._

_He then fell of the window, and died._

"You were the kid Sado-kun was carrying in the clinic, were you?" asked Karin, her face dark, as the memory flashed again.

"As the bird yes… Wait, now I remember. You were there, right? One of the nurses!" he said, his eyes widening.

"Yes, I do work there. Me and my family, in the Kurosaki clinic." said Karin. Then Shibata pointed at her, almost accusingly.

"Kurosaki… Kurosaki Ichigo! The shinigami who saved me from that awful monster!" cried Shibata, still pointing. Karin smirked and pushed the hand away.

"Yes. He is my brother. How many times will I repeat that?" she said.

Then they sat in silence.

"I knew immediately that you were not just a normal bird, you know. And I actually-" but cut herself short before she could say that she cried for him.

"What?" forced Shibata.

"I cried for you, damn It." she said, before she could stop herself.

Shibata laughed and said,

"That's fine. You were probably a weakling." he said.

Karin punched him on the nose. Then it started bleeding.

"Whaddya do that for?" gasped Shibata, through his nose bleed.

"Never ever call me WEAK!" said Karin, her fists on his face.

"Yes ma'am." said Shibata, looking seriously scared.

"Good. Hey! There's Kenta." Karin pointed over at Kenta, who was walking from the wood, perplexed to find the two talking.

"Hey Kenta, I was passing by and wanted to say hi…" said Shibata, his face blushing.

"Dude, you like her?" whispered Karin in his ear.

"Shut up." said Shibata, from the side of his mouth.

"Okay. Hey Karin, you two want to play soccer? I got a ball…"

"Soccer? Hell yeah!" said Karin, and she dragged Shibata by the hand.

When they got there, the sun was blazing and it was uncomfortable to play soccer in the moment. So they decided to talk for a while.

"Karin, have you decided how to get pass Jidanbou?" asked Kenta. Karin's brow furrowed.

"No… I don't have a single idea. I was hoping Toushiro would be the one to look for me. But maybe it can't be helped." said Karin.

Kenta looked over at the sky.

"They should be here now, im guessing." she said, then added, "What if he does not go look for you?"

"Then im going to find a way to get in there, and give him a piece of my mind." said Karin heatedly.

"Wait a minute, is this Toushiro, 10th squad captain, Hitsugaya Toushiro?" asked Shibata.

"Yes." said Karin, tired of answering the same thing.

"Oh come on, do you honestly believe he is going to stay faithful to you, when he has got a girl in tow?" said Shibata jokingly. Kenta giggled at Karin's face.

"Wait… Who?!" asked Karin frantic with worry.

"Calm down. There were things I heared. His old flame, Hinamori Momo, is trying to get back at him." said Shibata, simply trying to get on her nerves.

"But they are just friends! He told me!" said Karin.

Then Shibata and Kenta both started laughing.

"We are just kidding! Everyone knows that they have never been connected. They are just childhood friends. And I also heared from my friend in the 10th squad, that Hitsugaya taicho seemed to be avoiding Hinamori." said Shibata.

Karin smiled, but made a rain check to talk to this Hinamori.

Then the sun cleared up and Karin stood up, and dragged Shibata with her.

"Hey! No need to treat me roughly." said Shibata. Karin giggled and she kicked the ball high up and used her head to hit him.

He dodged it, and was about to kick it when Karin raised her hands in a time out.

Karin froze.

_What was that? I feel like Toushiro just popped out of nowhere._

_Over there._

She turned around and felt the sensation of him spread over her body.

_Right, now to get rid of these two._

"Hey guys, ill meet you later. I have to get something in the woods, from yesterday. I'll see you later."

Then they both shrugged and went off to the old hut.

Karin turned back to the tree, but somehow it seemed as if it was going away.

"Oh no, you don't." said Karin angrily.

She ran up to the tree and reached the bark, while jumping behind it.

But they were nowhere to be found.

_Toushiro. I know you were here… Or was I just imagining it?_

Karin cursed again and kicked the tree, whilst giving her toe a painful stab.

"TOUSHIRO DAMN IT! I AM SO GOING AFTER YOU!" she screamed and stomped away


	19. Attempts

**Chapter 18: Attempts**

Toushiro dragged Matsumoto by her hair, and shunpoed farther away, He did not bother to look back at all. And he knew that Karin knew he was there. But why did he run away?

Such a simple question was nagging at the back of his mind, and obviously Matsumoto was bursting to say something about it, but she held her mouth, or maybe it was because being dragged by the hair was painful enough rather than being frozen in the heavens by Hyourinmaru.

In fact, Toushiro had been pondering it all this time. Then he stopped, Jidanbou was lying flat on the floor, and Toushiro was getting impatient.

He cursed and kicked the giant.

Jidanbou howled in pain and stood up with a salute in place.

"I didn't expect you to get here this early Hitsugaya taicho… Matsumoto fukutaicho." He said. Toushiro's brow was furrowed angrily then he growled,

"It does not matter! Just get us in." said Toushiro angrily.

The gate-keeper's eyes widened, as if searching for someone.

"Where is this person you are telling me about?" he asked.

Toushiro glared and growled, Matsumoto instinctively ducked for cover. And Jidanbou noticed that, so he just opened the gate with all his might.

Hitsugaya passed without another word, but when Matsumoto followed, she muttered a quick thank you and went after the speedy walker.

"So, taicho. Why did you run away?" she asked, forgetting to hold her tongue.

"I don't know myself." He said, and left it at that.

Matsumoto looked over at him, and she was worried.

Toushiro walked on, his head in the clouds.

_Why did you run away?_

**HT/KK**

Karin burst into the cramped hut. Shibata and Kenta were both sitting on the bed, looking deep in conversation. They didn't seem to have noticed Karin, or was simply ignoring her.

"That's it! Ive had it with him!" said Karin, she kicked and empty basket, which trampolined all over the place.

"Hey! Careful with that, you could hurt somebody." said Shibata. "Wait, why? Did you meet him?"

"Damn right I did. And hell goes to him for leaving without talking to me!" cried Karin, her face full of fury. "Im going to go pass that wall, even if it's the last thing im going to do. Even if it means getting killed again."

She looked so menacing that the other two didn't bother to contradict her. Karin smirked and ran out of the cottage, to the gate.

From the side of the gate, she saw Jidanbou sitting cross-legged, she sneaked into a nearby bush and touched with her finger, the wall.

It was solid, of course. She knocked it with her ear pressed on it.

"It's not hollow, that's for sure." she said.

Then without much thinking, she kicked it, like a soccer ball.

And then she cried out in pain. A nearby by-stander looked around, scared. Then scampered away, as if expecting to see a ghost. Probably forgetting that he was dead, and they were all ghosts.

When she finally calmed down, tiny flecks of tears in her eyes, she sniffed and touched the stone wall again.

"This is so odd, I feel like a weakling when I face this wall… Damn it, what the heck is this thing?" she rubbed it with her fingers and started moving around, as if expecting a magic door to just pop out of nowhere.

"That's useless, you know." said a voice behind her. She turned around, shocked.

There stood a man, with a bull bellow him. He seemed to have been riding that thing.

Of course, If you have watched Bleach, you would know this was Shiba Ganju, of West Rukongai, and he could certainly help Karin get in. But she didn't know that yet.

**HT/KK**

When they both finally got back to 10th squad office, Hitsugaya turned back to his papers. He felt stupid, and corrupted because this feeling he had, was not at all wonderful.

He never felt it before, and he had been living for almost 100 years now. Matsumoto was working hard, but she kept on looking over to her taicho, who not only was not working, but his brow was furrowed.

"Taicho…" said Matsumoto, putting a hand on his shoulder. He swatted it off and ignored her hurt look.

"Im going out for a walk." he said, not bothering to look back at her, or the papers that will surely pile up for more work tomorrow.

Matsumoto nodded, even if he couldn't see her. But still silently, her reiatsu carefully tucked in, she followed him in the darkness.

Toushiro was walking, he was a little tense looking. His shoulders where squared and he was seriously slow. Then after a few minutes of silent walking, he spotted Ichigo, Rukia and Renji talking.

He moved to them, and the three immediately noticed the taicho. They smiled guiltily and he growled at them,

"What are you doing over there?"

Renji looked at Rukia who looked over at Ichigo, who glared back at Hitsugaya.

"None of your business, Hitsugaya-kun." He said.

"It's HITSUGAYA TAICHO!" he boomed, so loudly a couple of birds took flight. The three winced, including Matsumoto, who was hiding behind a wall.

"Why does Ichigo have to call you taicho, when he isn't your subordinate?" asked Renji, an arrogant smirk appearing on his heavily tattooed head.

"And how about Karin? She gets to call you Toushiro, Toushiro." said Ichigo.

Hitsugaya was starting to boil. Lately, his temper level has been high, maybe because of seeing Karin so happy with some other guy.

He clutched his zanpakuto, feeling Hyourinmaru scold him, but he ignored it. Ichigo noticed and poised for battle too.

"Okay, that's enough." said Rukia, butting in, before it gets nasty.

"Shut up! I still haven't forgiven this b for killing my sister!" he growled at her. He already lost his mother, and now his sister, only now has he felt more fury than ever.

"Fool! I haven't killed her! In fact I saw her this afternoon!" cried Hitsugaya, releasing his zanpakuto.

"Oh yeah? Well, I don't care! I can't bring her back to earth! Do you know what my dad, and Yuzu feel?" shouted Ichigo.

"Don't talk out of your league, Kurosaki. You weren't there when it happened." muttered Hitsugaya.

Rukia and Renji froze. They were there, and it was a priceless sight, seeing Toushiro save her, and cry just the same at the sight of her dying.

Ichigo howled and made to swipe Toushiro, when out of nowhere, Matsumoto appeared, she was poised to stop things like this.

Toushiro smirked at Ichigo's face, and said,

"I care for Karin, and don't you ever think that I would kill her."

Ichigo put back his sword. Rukia punched him on the face.

"Baka! I told you not to go after captains." she said.

Ichigo looked stunned and when he became serious again he looked over to Toushiro.

"You're right, I wasn't there. But I knew that was only an excuse to fight you." said Ichigo.

"Oh war freak, huh? This his getting helluva good every second." said Renji, and he and Rukia sat down to watch everything unfold.

"What? I don't get immature prats like you." said Hitsugaya, feeling anger enter him again.

"Karin never cries. Only when things really go wrong. But since you and the others left, I could always hear her crying in the next room. And when I went to college, every time I visit, her eyes were swollen and it was a hard sight to get… And I knew it was because of you. I swore that if I see you again, I'll make you pay for giving her so much hurt in such a young age."

Then silence. So he continued,

"Then when I heared that she died from my dad and Yuzu, I immediately went to Inoue's house, _knowing _you would be there… That you were the reason. And I was right. I can't forgive you for that."

"I didn't know." said Toushiro, his heart dropping. His head swirled with thoughts.

_She cried for me, always._

_It's all my fault._

_I didn't know._

"Im sure you didn't, I knew you were busy with all this s," he said, waving his arms around. "But I wished you didn't ask her out in the first place."

Toushiro turned away and heared Ichigo call after him,

"It's your fault. Don't even deny it."

He couldn't look at him straight in the eye.

**HT/KK**

"Sorry, but I don't talk to strangers." said Karin. Ganju looked at her, like she was crazy.

"Strangers? You don't know me? I AM GANJU! Self proclaimed death-god hater of West Rukongai!" he boomed. Karin giggled at his actions.

"Okay, Im Kurosaki Karin, nice to meet ya." she said, after her laughter subsided.

"Kurosaki… Are you by any chance related to Ichigo?" he asked after a long pause.

"Yes." grunted Karin, tired of being known as Ichigo's sister.

Ganju hugged her tight and when he released her, she punched him flat.

"Never ever hug me, you idiot! Especially after you ride those boars!" she pointed at a boar with a huge pink bow on her head.

"You mean Bonnie-chan? No, she's clean." said Ganju, stroking the ugly pig, which head-butted him.

"Damned idiots." said Karin, as she watched him pick himself up.

"You're like your brother. Anyway, it's obvious you want to get pass this walls." said Ganju.

"You know how?!" cried Karin.

"Know how? Ive done it! Me, Ichigo and the others." said Ganju as he puffed up his chest with pride.

"Wow! Okay, you have GOT to teach me." she said. Ganju smiled at her.

"Okay, im gonna teach ya. Meet me here tomorrow, so we can go to my sister. And I can bring another boar. Because it's a long way from here." said Ganju. Karin winced at the thought of riding a boar but nodded all the same.

"See ya later!" he said, and Karin waved bye.

Then she turned and faced the wall again.

"Listen here, wall. Im going to go past you. Got that?" she said, and she gave it the bad sign and kicked it yet again.

She winced and wobbled back to the cottage.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro turned in late that night, he was so busy with his work, and he didn't even bother to look at the time.

As he laid there, he was still pondering the same question that made him go crazy.

_Why did you run away?_

_I don't know._

_You saw Karin, and you ran away. That was you're chance!_

_Damn, I don't know._

_You know perfectly well, Toushiro._

_What!_

_You ran away… Because you were…_

_Don't say it._

_You were jealous._

Then it hit him so hard, he almost fell of the bed. Reality, that was what he was facing. Seeing Karin have fun with another boy, not looking for him, hurts him. It makes him feel unearthly.

He knew all along that it was jealousy, but he just didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to justify the facts.

After all, it's quite a rare thing to find a taicho jealous. Not to mention he was the taicho of 10th squad, and it wasn't expectant of him to fall for a human. It wasn't expectant of him to fall for anyone at all!

He stood up and kicked the dresser with all his might, and the one thing he didn't expect came out of it. In it was his gigai, and it was still wearing his human clothes.

He picked it up and looked in the pockets. There were memories scattered all over it. Inside was all the things he remembered they used to do.

There was even a stub for the arcade they went in. And also some money, which were crumpled and dirty.

On the back of the pants were mud and dirt, that was because of soccer. The shoes were dirty too, up to the soles.

"Karin… Tomorrow im going to look for you, again." he added to himself.

Then he looked up in the sky, though there were no stars, he liked to look at the moon, feeling that she was right under there, and he was going to find her.

**HT/KK**

Karin woke up in the middle of the night, her stomach was rumbling, and it wasn't helping that it was also very cold. She picked up her coat and went out, maybe to find food or look around.

When she finally found a banana tree, she ate the bunch and looked over at the huge wall. She jumped to her feet, fresh determination spreading to her body.

"I can do this, if that pig man can, I can too." she said, and she tore out the branch that almost swatted her right on the face.

When she finally got there, she was pleased to see the gate-keeper fast asleep, and no one seemed to be out at this time.

So she sat in front of the wall, and touched it yet again.

_It's sturdy._

She remembered those spy movies where the spy makes a grappling hook and climbs up the wall.

She looked around hopefully and found a tree bark and a stone. She groaned and frowned.

"I need a rope." she simply said.

So she ran to the nearest shed and looked for one, luckily she found it easily, and then made a grappling hook.

It was unsafe, she was sure, but It made no sense if she didn't try.

So she tried to shoot it up, and it hooked.

"YES!" she screamed and covered her mouth, just to find the gate-keeper yawn, and turn to the other side.

Her success was useless though, when she got up, she lost her energy and fell off.

"Damn, something is up with this wall!" she said, losing her breath instantly.

So she summoned her remaining strength and climbed up again, this time reaching the top.

Okay, so it may seem like you can just jump in and you're in, but no, it's not that simple.

So when she got up, she saw the whole place, and it was amazing. She looked down, and there was a tree.

So she was about to jump in, when….

BAM!

She hit an invisible barrier, and her head banged so hard, she felt her body weaken. Then shockingly that wasn't all.

She lost her balance, and fell to the ground her body bruised, and her head bloodied.

"S, that was unexpected." she muttered to herself.

Then she lost her consciousness.


	20. Shiba Kuukaku

**Chapter 19: Shiba Kuukaku **

The next morning, Toushiro was awakened by someone bouncing on his lap. He opened his eyes, and was about to shout at that person when he saw pink hair.

"Yachiru." he said angrily, in his warning voice.

"Whitey- chan! You're awake! Ken-chan wants to talk to you, Ken-chan has free time, so Ken-chan decided to visit Whitey-chan." she said very fast while bouncing around.

"Zaraki is here?" he asked, wondering why he was.

"Yep!" she said, then she ran outside.

Toushiro furrowed his brow, and put on his white captain's robe.

When he got outside, Matsumoto was sitting on the desk, sipping tea. Zaraki Kenpachi, the 10th squad taicho, was standing near the door, grinning like an idiot.

"Ohayo, taicho." said Matsumoto. Hitsugaya nodded, then turned to Kenpachi.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"I heared that you and your team just came back, carrying a certain stray." said Kenpachi, clutching his sword.

"That's right. Kurosaki Ichigo decided to join us." said Hitsugaya.

"Icchy is here? Ken-chan wants to have fun, right, Ken-chan?" added Yachiru, her face in a wide grin.

Kenpachi grinned back, and ran out the door, his reiatsu flaring.

"Honestly, he really needs more work, so he won't end up killing anybody." muttered Toushiro, rubbing his forehead.

Then he settled down behind his desk, while Matsumoto made more tea.

"You know we should really have that coffee thing, humans are so fond about." said Matsumoto.

Toushiro rolled his eyes, then cleared his desks of yesterday's paper work.

When he finally finished his paper work, he went out to think of a plan.

**HT/KK**

"Is she alright?" asked a person suddenly.

Karin laid sprawled on the floor, her face covered with dirt and her hair. Luckily, she wasn't bloodied, and she looked like she didn't suffer much damage. They didn't know that she had a splitting headache.

Suddenly, she was poked hard by something, and she stood up with a loud,

"EEEPP!"

The people around her looked shocked. Then when she turned around to see who poked her with a stick, she saw that it was Ganju, looking smug, and pleased at her reaction.

"You didn't have to do that." said Karin, angrily.

"You were unconscious, there was no helping it." he said. Karin glared at him.

"Still, you could have shook me instead." she said.

"Hmm. Yes, but that wouldn't be fun." he said, then before Karin could retort, he asked her,

"Why did you decide to camp out here without a tent anyway?"

"I wasn't camping out here, you idiot! I made a grappling hook, and tried to go in using it, but an invisible barrier was there, so I ended up falling." she said.

Ganju started laughing hysterically. Karin lost her nerve, and punched him flat on the face.

"Shut up!" she cried. Ganju continued laughing through his nosebleed and said,

"Chill. You're just like Ichigo. Short-tempered and no logic." he said. Karin raised her fist in his face.

"Whaddya say?" she said.

"Nothing, ma'am!" he said quickly. "But you shouldn't have done that. It wouldn't work here. This isn't your normal wall after all."

"Why?"

Ganju raised an eyebrow.

"This wall is virtually indestructible, even I who is the self-proclaimed mass-beater of West Rukongai, cannot break down this wall." He said. Karin giggled.

"I don't see any muscles over there, flabby-o." she muttered.

Ganju flared up, but thought the better of it. Kuukaku, his sister, taught him better than to hit a girl.

"Oh yeah? Think you can do better, sticky-o?" he said. Karin punched him again.

Then they started arguing, until someone from their right shouted,

"Shut the hell up!"

They calmed down. Then Ganju said,

"Anyway, you shouldn't even try to break down this wall, because it is made of lethality stone, the strongest, rarest and most indestructible stone in the whole universe. It also drains spirit energy, so I wouldn't doubt, you would probably lose your power as soon as you try to touch it.

"You tried to go over the wall, which is much more stupid in my opinion. If there wasn't any barriers there, Sereitei would be ruined now, and it would be easier to just go in. No, not even that can ruin it. The only way, is through the four gates." He said.

They looked over the gate, which was guarded by Jidanbou, who looked bored.

"Isn't there an easier way?" asked Karin.

"No. Though you can try the machine the Bounto used to get in." said Ganju.

"Bounto?"

"The soul sucking vampires, that tried to ruin Soul Society 5 years ago." He said.

Karin brightened up.

"Okay! Where do we find this machine?" she asked.

"Oh, they broke it after they got in." he said matter of factly.

"BAKA! Why did you recommend it, if you knew that it was broken?" she shouted.

"Building false hope." he said, then narrowly missed another punch in the nose. "Anyway, that's where my sister comes in, she has a way to blast you in Sereitei."

"Blast!? What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, shocked.

"You'll see." He said, then he whistled.

Two huge boars ran quickly to them, and Bonnie-chan snorted at Ganju.

"This is Bonnie-chan, you have met her. And this is Annie-chan, the one you will be riding." He said.

Karin's eyes twitched as she surveyed the boar. It looked dirty, huge, and smelly.

"What are ya waiting for? Get on!" said Ganju. Karin went on it, and almost instantly, it's started running. When she looked to her side, Ganju was in control of his boar.

"You'll get the hang of it." He said.

Karin nodded, holding on for dear life, as they dashed by the many trees.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro was walking and thinking at the same time.

_Okay, most likely, Karin noticed I was there, so I owe her an explanation for running away._

_But before that, I have to get to her first. I should go past Jidanbou again, but it would be harder to get past it now that everyone of the captains know that I am back._

_Yama-jin would probably assign me and my squad to handle something, him knowing that me and Matsumoto has been out for quite some time._

_All I can do is hope that he will give it to the 11th squad, but that is rather impossible to think so._

_If by chance I will be able to slip past Yama-jin or any captain in particular, and I have finished my paperwork for the day, I should go to a different path out._

_As I know, there is a path near 13th squad, but I have to find a way to slip past Ukitake too! Or he'd probably sabotage me with those sweets he is so fond of._

_He thinks I am a child, but I just haven't fully matured outside._

_Damn it, this is harder than I thought._

Then he felt a reiatsu flare up, and it was obviously Kenpachi. He then heared him say,

"Don't run away from me, Kurosaki Ichigo! We have a score to settle!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes, when he felt Ichigo's reiatsu flare up, and it was going nearer and nearer to him.

Suddenly, when he passed to the side, Ichigo bumped into him.

"Watch where you are going, Kurosaki!" he said. Ichigo ignored him and he continued running away. Soon after Kenpachi was running after him, Yachiru cheering.

He continued walking to the 13th squad, when a hell butterfly stopped him.

He groaned and put out his finger.

"Attention all captains and lieutenants, there will be a meeting in a few minutes, please do not be late. End of message." It said.

"Damn, guess I can't skip it yet." he said, and saw Matsumoto shunpo next to him.

"Taicho, are you ready?" she asked. He nodded and they dashed to the 1st squad.

When they got there, Yamamato Genryuusai sotaicho was standing in front. The taicho and lieutenants of 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 12th where there already. It was understandable that only the lieutenants of 3rd, 5th, and 9th were there, because of the Aizen thing.

But 6th squad's Kuchiki Byakuya, and Abarai Renji were not there. 11th squad were not there, because they were obviously still chasing after Ichigo. And 13th squads Ukitake was not there. The vice was not there too because he is dead.

Soon after, 6th squad were there, and they stood to their places. Then the commander-general started the meeting.

"Welcome back, Hitsugaya taicho, Kuchiki taicho, Abarai fukutaicho, and Matsumoto fukutaicho. I trust the mission there is now in order?"

Byakuya, Renji, Rangiku and Toushiro nodded in unison.

"Has everyone come back safe? Including 11th squad Yumichika Ayasegawa and Madarame Ikkaku?"

Nodding again.

"Good. Now, where is Ukitake taicho, Zaraki taicho, and Yachiru fukutaicho?" he asked.

"Ukitake taicho is currently in bed, he is not feeling well." said 8th squads Kyouraku taicho.

"Unfortunate really, but I have finally gotten used to the idea." whispered 12th squad Kurotsuchi taicho to his vice Nemu.

"11th squad's taicho and fukutaicho are currently chasing someone." said Soi Fon, with a smirk on her face.

"And who might I ask is this?" asked Yama-jin.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." said Byakuya.

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" repeated Soi Fon, her voice unbelieving.

"That's right." He said.

"Why is he here?" asked Yama-jin, his voice getting more serious than ever.

"To look for his dead sister in Rukongai." said Renji with a side glance to Toushiro who remained neutral.

"Ah, I do not want to have any problems with him. But if any arise because of him, during his stay here, I will have to take him away." said the sotaicho.

"Understood." they all said at the same time.

The meeting was not really for that, but he was already giving orders to the different squads.

Luckily, the 10th squad were only given work to guard the Bureau of Technological Development, and that was the job for the squad officers.

Then after the meeting, Toushiro went to the 10th squad, to give away positions for the BTD.

**HT/KK**

She almost fell down. Karin was getting the hang of it, but suddenly Ganju told her to stop. When they got down, he started looking around the place for something.

"What? Is there something here?" she asked, in a panicky voice.

"Don't be an idiot. Im looking for a place to eat." He said.

"Im not hungry! I want to get there as soon as possible." she cried, but her stomach rumbled.

He laughed and gave her a sandwich, which she gobbled up almost instantly.

"I was meaning to ask you this, but, why are you helping me?" asked Karin. Ganju looked at her like she had 3 eyes.

"Because, I want to. And since you are Ichigo's sister, I really do want to help you." He said. Karin beamed at him, and realized how helpful it was to be 'Ichigo's sister'.

"Why do you want to get pass that wall in the first place?" he asked. Karin blushed.

"I-I want to look for someone over there." she said.

"Who?"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro."

"What? Why him?" he asked, flabbergasted.

She explained everything to him, and when she ended, Ganju was looking at her like she was crazy.

"I don't know if you know, but it's illegal." He said.

"I don't care really. He doesn't too. And im going to find him." She said, determined.

"If you put it that way, im going to help you get in, and help you look for him." said Ganju, with a smile.

"Why? I mean, I didn't do anything to get this much." She said.

He winked at her, then said,

"Im the best guide of all Rukongai that has ever stepped foot inside Sereitei!" he said.

Karin sighed.

_He's still making names for himself._

Then they both stood up and went to the house.

Karin stood in the front of the house, her mouth hung open. The house had two arms raised up and was holding a sign that said:

**Shiba Kuukaku**

"Well, that's discreet." she muttered. Ganju went in, only to be ambushed by two burly looking twins.

"Welcome! What is your name, stranger?" they both said.

"K-Kurosaki K-Karin." She stuttered, as they carried her to their shoulders.

"Kurosaki!! A kin to Ichigo! You must eat here." said fat guy number one.

Ganju dragged her by her collar into the house, then he slammed the door shut.

"Listen, my sister is really tough, and maybe I should do the talking." he said to her.

"Why is that?" asked a voice behind him, it sounded menacing.

"N-Nee-san!!" he turned around and faced his sister, who looked angry about something.

"What did I tell you about bringing people here?!" she asked, pointing a finger at Karin who jumped back.

"That I should offer them food." He said.

"Right! And did you offer our guest food?" she asked.

"N-No." he said.

Then she gave him a big blow below the chin, ending with him slamming to the nearby window.

Karin winced as she looked over at her.

"I insist you eat with us." she said.

"No thank you, ive eaten." said Karin.

"What did you say?" asked Kuukaku, her face menacing all over again, as if, if Karin denied her offer, she'd end up just like Ganju.

Karin gave nervous laughter and said quickly,

"On second thought, im famished, I would love to eat here." she said. Kuukaku smirked and called after Ganju.

"Fix us some food, now." she said. He nodded, then disappeared in one of the many doors. Then Kuukaku snapped her fingers.

A tall guy with a wimpy face appeared.

"Yes, Kuukaku-sama?" he asked.

"Get this screen fixed." she said. He bowed and ran to another door.

Karin realized this woman had a lot of power, and it seems everyone was scared of her. Then Kuukaku turned to Karin.

"Let's go to the other room." she said, then led the way.

When they both sat down on the floor, she lit a cigarette and said,

"Im guessing you are a friend of my idiot brother, sorry about him." she said.

"Yes, I am Kurosaki Karin." said Karin.

"You familiar with Kurosaki Ichigo, kid?" asked Kuukaku.

"He is my brother." she said.

"Ah. So what do you want?" she asked.

Karin's eyes widened.

_How could she assume I need something from her._

_Okay, I do. But it's different._

Kuukaku smirked and said,

"Listen here, Ganju does not bring people here not unless they need something. And people don't go here in particular if they don't need anything." said Kuukaku, "So, What do you need?"

Karin explained the situation, including the thing about Toushiro.

"So you want to get past the wall, huh? You really are like them all." she said.

Karin guessed she was talking about Ichigo and everyone of them.

"I guess." said Karin.

"You're right about this. I do know how to get pass that wall." said Kuukaku.

"How?" asked Karin.

"Don't be stupid. This is something that you have to show. But you have to tell me you are willing to give your all, and you will not complain when I finally show you how." she said.

Karin remained thoughtful.

_The way she says it, sounds like it's the most dangerous thing to do._

_If Ichi-nii has done it… Then I could too._

_Most definitely._

_And it's for Toushiro… I have to see him._

_Right._

"Yes, I am." said Karin. Kuukaku looked at her with her eyes angry.

"You are what?" she growled.

"I am willing to give my all and will not complain when you show me how!!" she said quickly.

"Good." said Kuukaku.

Finally after a few minutes, Ganju appeared with food. Karin winked at him, and he gave her the thumbs-up.

"How'd you do it?" whispered Ganju to her.

"Simple. I just did what I do." said Karin.

"What?" he asked.

Then they got hit on the head by two stones. They both squirmed in pain, and saw Kuukaku aim another stone at them.

"Idiots! Never whisper in front of me. Especially when it's about me, or when we are about to eat. Understand?" she said, her voice angry. Ganju and Karin nodded and said,

"Yes ma'am!" they said.

Then they got hit with stones again, there was a basket next to her, full of stones.

"Yes ma'am what?" she boomed.

"Yes ma'am, we will not whisper in front of you! Especially if it's about you, or if we are about to eat!!" Karin boomed back.

"Yes ma'am, we will not er- talk in front of you… If it's about you, or if we are going to eat." said Ganju slowly, trying to remember what she said.

Then he got hit by another stone.

"Ouch! Nee-san!" he cried.

"You should memorize more, you idiot." she said.

He whimpered. Karin giggled.

"Now, let's eat, we will be busy later." she said.

They nodded, and started eating.


	21. Almost there

**Chapter 20: Almost there**

Toushiro ordered his squad at the Bureau of Technological Development an hour later after the meeting. He decided to do it earlier, so that he had time to sneak in 13th squad.

He knew it was in favor of him, mainly because he knew Ukitake was ill, but he still knew that he couldn't take it lightly because the 13th squad was tough, and they didn't take after pushovers like the 4th squad.

As he went into his office, Matsumoto was sitting on the table blankly staring in the ceiling.

When she realized that Hitsugaya was there she smiled at him and greeted him.

"What are you up to, Matsumoto?" grunted Hitsugaya, starting to feel suspicious because she was being more silent than she usually was.

"Nothing, taicho. I was just thinking, is all." she said, with a tiny grin.

Hitsugaya nodded and took his zanpakuto from the table. Matsumoto rose from her seat.

"You going somewhere, taicho?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"It's none of your business." said Toushiro and he went out of the office without another word.

Matsumoto smirked knowingly, and proceeded to get some well deserved sleep.

Toushiro shunpoed to the nearest tree, that was close to the view of the 13th squad. It was a short walk, but he took his time, mainly because he had to hide his reiatsu at the same time.

_So far, there's only a few guards over at front, I can handle those._

_Now where is Ukitake?_

_Ahh. He seems to be in his room._

_There is Kiyone and Sentarou._

_Easy._

He jumped a foot from the guards who jumped in shock. A brave soul went forward and said,

"Hitsugaya taicho. W-What are you doing h-here?" he stuttered, his face burning at Hitsugaya's stare.

With one flourish of his hand, he put him to sleep. Mind you, he did not kill him, but simply put him to a nice long sleep.

The two other guards took out their zanpakuto in shook, and Hitsugaya put them to sleep.

He swept into the 13th squad, noting the fact that it was really the most beautiful, but vulnerable place, since it was near the outside.

There was a pond, and there seemed to be no one around, then he sneaked into a tree when he realized that someone was coming nearer.

No, it was not one. It was Kiyone and Sentarou arguing as usual, and lagging behind them was Rukia who was laughing at their antics.

He heared her say that she had to do something, and she disappeared in the corner. Then he heared Kiyone say that she was probably going to visit Ichigo or Renji.

Hitsugaya smirked and went out. Kiyone jumped and Sentarou spluttered.

Then he swept in front of them , ignoring their looks. Then he went inside the office, hoping that Ukitake was sleeping.

Luckily, he was and he waited for the two to be gone. After a few minutes, they went off to their quarters.

Hitsugaya went out, but was suddenly called by a voice.

It was Ukitake, his eyes wide open.

"Hitsugaya-kun. What a surprise!" he said, his voice croaky, but he seemed alert." Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." lied Hitsugaya, realizing that he sounded untruthful. But Ukitake didn't seem to notice at all.

"That is kind of you, Shiro-chan. After all we are both shiro right?" said Ukitake, his face wide with a grin. Then he stood up so suddenly, Hitsugaya backed off about a mile.

Hitsugaya laughed nervously as Ukitake started rummaging in a closet.

"What…?"

But then he emerged with another gift basket full of goodies and sweets.

"Here you go!" cried Ukitake, actually expecting Toushiro to appreciate it.

"That would be quite un-necessary. I have to be on my way you see-" he started but then Ukitake stopped him with a box full of toys.

"Sorry, this seems to be all I have." He said.

"That's alright, I have to get going." said Hitsugaya, but then Ukitake stopped him and made him face him.

"Err—"

"If you need more candy, don't be afraid to come to me." said Ukitake seriously.

Hitsugaya nodded, not knowing what to say. Then he went out, striding or running, whichever can describe it, but he just didn't want to be there.

_Where the heck does he get those candy?_

But before he could ponder that, he decided to get a move on before he meets someone else.

He stood behind the wall, before going out.

There was Rukia, she seemed to be standing guard.

Hitsugaya cursed inwardly, and looked around expecting to see another way out.

But there were none, then something caught his eye. It was a bright colored rock, he has never seen it before.

It looked huge, and then he realized too that he could use it as a way to get Rukia somewhere else.

Without much thinking he picked the rock with one hand, though it was big, he was that strong.

It shined in the setting sun, and he threw it into a bush that looked far. Sure enough, Rukia went after it to expect.

As he saw a way out, he shunpoed to the outside.

He expected that he was victorious, when he felt Rukia's reiatsu trail behind him. As he looked behind, she was there her face curious and her eyebrow raised.

Then the next second she was right next to him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Hitsugaya ignored her and continued shunpo, but then it seemed she can catch up to him. So he flashed out to Rukongai, but his reiatsu burst, and he knew that people would know he was out.

But then the next second, Rukia was standing in front of him.

"What's going on?" she repeated.

Hitsugaya frowned at her rudeness, but he knew he couldn't proceed unless he explained his behavior.

"Okay, I'll tell you. But promise me you will leave me alone." said Hitsugaya, sounding cautious.

Rukia's eyebrow raised higher, but she nodded.

Then Hitsugaya proceeded to tell her his plan.

**HT/KK**

After dinner, Kuukaku lit a cigarette and turned to Ganju.

"You know the drill. Tell those two idiots to prepare." said Kuukaku. Ganju nodded and bowed his way out.

"Now. Follow me, kid. It gets kinda confusing around here." she told Karin, after her 3rd puff.

They stood up and made their way around.

Karin wondered how such a small house can hold such a place. And it was a shock to her how they had lights underground, after all there never seemed to be any at Rukongai, or anywhere in Soul Society to be particular.

But she didn't dare ask, because Kuukaku looked forbidding.

Then she opened a huge door and pointed for Karin to get in.

Karin let out a gasp of utter amazement and shock. It was a huge dark room, with what looked like a chimney 10 times its size. Though she started to think where they threw the firewood.

Kuukaku stared at her for reaction then smirked, and crossed her arms together.

"As you should probably know now, I am a fireworks maker." she said.

Of course, Karin didn't know that. But she didn't want to displease the woman.

"This is what will get you out of here and into Sereitei." continued the fireworks maker.

Karin gaped and her eyes twitched.

_How the hell-?_

Then Kuukaku puffed her cigarette again and boomed out loud,

"Let it rip!"

Then a loud rumbling sounded in her ears as the wooden floor started moving up slowly. Karin made to lie down, but she didn't need to because the whole floor seemed to be coming up.

Kuukaku smirked again, her face impassive, as if she always sees floors come out of nowhere.

When Karin dared to open her eyes again, there was sunlight.

"How?" asked Karin, her interest and curiosity getting the better of her.

Out of nowhere, Kuukaku summoned a transparent ball, large enough to be a bowling ball.

"This is a spirit ball, it contains the spirit power and turns it into a shied like, powerful enough to get pass the barrier." she said, and closed her hands on the ball, making a shield at the same time.

Then Ganju came. Kuukaku threw the ball at him.

"You show her." she commanded. Ganju sighed and muttered something that sounded like,

"Not again."

"What was that?" demanded Kuukaku, her face instantly turning of what looked like a tigress.

"Nothing." He said. Kuukaku ignored his incompetence.

Ganju showed Karin how to do it, but it seems she couldn't understand.

"How do you do it?" she asked.

"God, you're like your stupid brother." muttered Ganju. Karin glared at him.

"Show her how to do it. And I want you back here in 30 minutes. Practice and practice, because it will be very dangerous if you don't." said Kuukaku.

Karin nodded stiffly. She was excited, but at the same time feeling foreboding at doing something so soon, when she hasn't practiced it quite well.

**HT/KK**

25 minutes later, she has done a completely rounded ball, but she was exhausted. Ganju was pressuring her so much, that her temperature was running high, and all she wanted to do was get a nice long nap.

But there was no time for that. When she finally done it thrice in a row, the twins cheered and she dragged her feet back to the top.

When she got there, Kuukaku was sitting, her lap crossed and she was drinking tea.

"Ready?" she asked. Karin nodded. "Good. Ganju, you're coming with her, since you have a good knowledge of Sereitei."

Ganju nodded, his chest puffed up in pride, because he really loved the fact that he was more useful than he really was.

"Don't act all tough. There just wasn't anyone less busy and idle than you." said Kuukaku. Ganju winced, feeling his bubble burst faster than it was blown.

When they were all set, and both Ganju and Karin had their sprit powers intact, Kuukaku made a circle around the 'fireplace' and said some magic words.

The next second, they were flying in the clouds.

Karin couldn't hear herself scream, but she tried to maintain posture, because the spirit ball was wavering.

The air whistling in her ears where deafening, and her mind was blank all of a sudden. A second later, she spotted Sereitei coming closer, and found herself burst suddenly, her body feeling like a thousand bricks was being poured over her.

Then the sensation disappeared replaced by a feeling of warmth, as Ganju grabbed her one arm and mouthed the words,

"Let go!"

Then she let go, feeling the barrier around her disappear, all of a sudden a rush of more air sort of like a hurricane enveloped them, and Ganju made another grab of her torso, then they were falling.

Karin started to desperately hope she wasn't about to die and was muttering to herself about how bad she was in the real world, and how she didn't want to die just yet.

Then out of nowhere, Ganju pulled a string, and they were landing parachute like on the ground. But when they were about to come nearer, the parachute disappeared. Karin screamed, and they landed feet first on the ground, a large bomb like sound producing from them.

Karin felt her body weigh more, and her eyes close in pain.

**HT/KK**

Miles away, Toushiro and Rukia were talking calmly, when a hell butterfly came out of nowhere. Rukia caught it and it said,

"Ryoka intruder spotted. Please report back to your squads. Captains and Lieutenants must report to Yamamato sotaicho as soon as possible. End of message."

Toushiro and Rukia looked at each other, their eyes wide open.

"Do you think it's her?" asked Rukia, after hearing everything, knowing instantly that it was most likely Karin, since Ichigo was in Sereitei already.

Toushiro shrugged his shoulders knowing full well that it was probably her since he felt her reiatsu spark up and down a few second ago.

They both shunpoed back to their quarters.

Rukia stopped him and said,

"That was Karin. I felt her. You have to go find her before the others do!" she cried, then she went back to her 13th squad.

Toushiro nodded and knew that she was right.

If the other taicho found her first, she would be in grave danger.

He closed his eyes, feeling around for her reiatsu, then she was somewhere far, and she was with another person, familiar, but he couldn't put to his finger who it was.

But he didn't have time to think.

**HT/KK**

Karin was being dragged, no doubt about that. When she opened her eyes, Ganju was dragging her arm, and her feet were moving on their own.

"Im not dead?" she asked.

"You idiot!" he said, both laughing and being annoyed at the same time.

Then she regained full consciousness, she saw someone approach them from the side, and a bunch of men in shinigami clothes started running after them, their katana shimmering.

Karin screamed and ran for her life, Ganju lugging behind, making sand pits for them to fall into.

**HT/KK**

At another part, Ichigo and Renji were battling when Karin and Ganju's reiatsu burst. Then a hell butterfly appeared next to them, and Renji took it, his eyes wide in shock.

"Ryoka? Without us?" asked Renji, his face in a huge grin.

"That was Karin! And Ganju!" muttered loudly Ichigo.

They started running out, and made to look for her, when Ikkaku and Ayasegawa appeared next to them.


	22. The storage room

**Chapter 21: The storage room**

Karin and Ganju sprang for the little door in the corner. They didn't know where they were, but all they knew was that they were unsafe just standing there and waiting for a miracle.

Ganju turned to Karin, somewhat annoyed by what was happening.

"Kid, didn't you have a plan when you decided to just _invade _Sereitei?" he asked. Karin blushed.

"I didn't have time to think! It just happened." she said. Ganju slapped his forehead, and tried not to bang his face on the wall.

"So when you decided to go here… You didn't have a_ single_ plan to begin with?" he said. He knew the answer, but it was hard to absorb reality that way.

Nervous laughter from Karin. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, but they can hear the people screaming around doing orders and checking each place.

Luckily, they didn't seem to be interested in looking at their hiding place. Karin looked around. Nope, no one would be interested to look in here. They were in a small dingy box of a storage that held fireworks.

_Wait a minute!_

_FIREWORKS!_

Ganju, who was still skulking at his predicament, didn't seem to notice that he stumbled into a place that he held expertise in. Karin turned to him and said,

"What did you say you and your sister do for a living?" she asked, threading for him to notice.

He held back his head, his eyes closed. Karin smirked at his stupidity. There was a huge firecracker dangling just an inch above his closed eyes.

"Fireworks." he muttered. Then his eyes popped open, and his head shot up. "Why?"

"Oh nothing." said Karin then burst, "There just seems to be a million fireworks here… But who needs 'em right?"

Ganju jumped to his feet, ending up hitting his head on the low ceiling. He didn't seem to notice, when he looked around.

He inspected every single one of them, for what seemed like an hour. Karin wished she had a watch.

When he was done, his small bag at his back was bulging with merchandise.

"Just as I inspected. They seem to have the whole stock from us! This is good luck." he said, his hand up in the sky , uhh, the ceiling.

Karin smirked at him, then she made to stand up. But he dragged her back down.

"Look here. We have fireworks. And you have an excellent guard to match. But all this will fail, if we don't have a single plan." he said.

_Where was all this buckets of wisdom coming from?_

_The spider next to him perhaps?_

Karin laughed inwardly at the thought than turned away. Ganju was right. They had to plan something.

_Okay, since it's my first time in Sereitei, obviously I don't know where to go. That's where Ganju pops in, thank goodness._

_Here was what I was thinking._

_Maybe we can use our strengths. Since we have firecrackers everywhere, it's just proper we use it as a decoy._

_For example, while we see a pretentious little guard standing or looking around for say, a little bit far from us, we use the firecrackers, then they end up expecting it._

_So every time we see a shinigami, we use the firecrackers than run far away from them._

Karin turned back to Ganju, who looked deep in thought. She nudged him and told him her plan. Ganju bonked her with his hand and laughed.

"Are you really that stupid? Firecrackers as a decoy? Sure it would be a great one for those tiny guard people. But haven't you realized that there are 10 captains and 12 vice captains to boot? They know shunpo, Baka!" he cried. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but you do know we have friends here. Plus, I felt Ichi-nii's reiatsu, though it's extremely faint." she said silently. Now that she was thinking about it… Why was Ichigo here in the first place?

"Sure we have friends here. But we have more enemies!" he said, somewhat impatiently.

"I don't see you having a plan." she muttered with a scoff.

"Then we have to think more." said Ganju, his mouth twisted in concentration.

_Im pretty good at fireworks, and the kid was right. We could use this as a decoy. But she failed to think about those captains and lieutenants._

_Sure, it's not the first time, but they would know better than to underestimate the Ryoka. _

_Alright. Think Ganju, think._

_RIGHT!_

_First we sneak out of this storage room, and we are obviously near the 3rd squad. Luckily, that Gin is not here to wreck it, and their squad is in havoc._

_Damn, this is not the time to underestimate._

_So we sneak out, and go to the nearest place that is big enough to set the fireworks._

_Yeah! I remember, that Soi Fon from the 2nd squad has this tower sort of place where she orders her cronies._

_Perfect._

_So after that, we set of the biggest fireworks there._

_Which one is it?_

_Hmm…_

_Here it is! The all-out Fireworks display._

_This is going to be very noisy and huge to boot. So this will attract those guards. Plus Soi Fon's squad and cronies, and as far as I know, they are the ones we have to fear._

_Oh! But the 11th squad. Right, that's fine. We have two friends over there, and im pretty sure Zaraki Kenpachi won't slash me, since he knows that im not exactly as strong as that Ichigo._

_scoffs_

_I can beat that stupid little runt if I want to, but I just don't._

_Ehe-heh._

_That's right. _

_So next we run to the 10th squad, though im not doubting we meet more shinigami on the way, it's not like I can't handle those little losers._

_I have to admit, it's not exactly a brilliant plan, but it would have to do._

_Not like that kid made a big impact._

Ganju laughed evilly, then poked Karin with his thumb. Karin turned somewhat annoyed because she seemed immersed in her thoughts.

"What? You got a plan?" she said, a bit to rabidly.

Ganju told her about his plan, which met in silence. Karin had her finger on her lips, and her eyes were screwed in concentration.

"I don't know, but you're probably right. This would have to do. We have to get moving." she said. He nodded then helped her get up.

Karin's back was aching from sitting for too long, but she realized there was no time to think of her pains if she wanted to look for Toushiro.

"Let's go." she said weakly. But Ganju pressed his ears on the door.

For two minutes it went on like that, and it was starting to annoy her.

Then Ganju gave her the thumbs-up which probably meant the all-clear.

They exited the storage and run to the 2nd squad which was next door, careful not to spill their reiatsu.

They didn't realize that it was too late.

HT/KK

Toushiro got back to Sereitei as fast as he could, and they were back in the 13th squad. But when they got back there, Karin's reiatsu was nowhere to be found.

"What happened? I can't feel her anymore!" said Toushiro loudly to Rukia.

"You don't think she's –?"

"No! Don't say that." said Toushiro. Not permitting such thoughts to enter his mind.

_Karin… Is it too late?_

He could almost feel her kick him on the head for being a little too sentimental.

"Hitsugaya-kun… Maybe you should go back." said Rukia, her hand on his arm. "Go back to your squad… Im sure she is looking for you."

Toushiro looked at her as if she were crazy.

"I have to look for Karin!" he said, then he ran out of the 13th squad.

Rukia sighed and put her hands on her eyes as she looked in the sky. It was almost night time…

Toushiro was pumping out his reiatsu as much as he could. Hoping that Karin will be able to go to him without danger.

Strange hopes. He knew that she was currently up to something not to notice. He stopped running and realized his was in the 8h squad. There was a large space, big enough for everyone to gather. Kyouraku taicho was not there.

Toushiro smirked. Lazy as always, that man.

Then suddenly he heared a big bang. Then another. And another. He looked to the direction of the sounds and his eyes became wide open when he realized it was a fireworks display.

_What the…?_

_That's right. The guy Karin is with is that Shiba Ganju._

_Obviously he is as reckless as always._

Toushiro rolled his eyes and shunpoed to the source of the fireworks.

**HT/KK**

Ganju had set of the fireworks and felt different types of reiatsu come nearer. Then he gasped and grabbed Karin by her collar and they ran for their lives.

"What?!" cried Karin in alarm, still being dragged by a frantic Ganju.

"Don't be dense! Soi Fon of the 2nd squad is coming there. And there are a bunch of really strong people too! I can't fend them all off!" he boomed.

Karin took his hand of her collar.

"I can walk, thank you very much." she said, rubbing her neck.

Ganju had sweat all over his forehead. Then his eyes widened all of a sudden. A big shadow covered them both and it was not pleasant.


	23. Sand in my eyes

**Chapter 22: Sand in my eyes**

Ganju gulped and Karin turned around. There standing tower-like his face in a wide annoying grin was Zaraki Kenpachi.

Karin screamed and started to make a run for it, but someone grabbed her hair. She looked around and a girl with pink hair was holding it, her face also in a smile.

Ganju laughed nervously.

"Ken-chan wants to talk to you, Mikaso-chan." said Yachiru in her cute baby voice, enough to make Karin's eye twitch. But she stopped.

"Mikaso? Wait a minute. Im Karin. Kurosaki Karin." said Karin.

Ganju held Karin's collar again in a sort of run-before-we-die way.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you… Kurosaki Karin." said Kenpachi. Karin looked at him, and to his sword. The hilt was bloody, and unpleasant.

'W-Why?" she asked, her body shaking.

"I was looking for you." He said.

Karin gulped.

_Damn. I don't want to die here!_

_I died once, and I don't plan to die again._

"Im not here to kill you." said Kenpachi, in a sort of disappointed voice. Karin breathed a sigh of relief.

"Heh?"

"You may have a huge reiatsu. But I sense you're weakness. I do not want to fight weaklings." he said.

Yachiru looked up at him.

"Ken-chan…" she said. Her face was impassive, but her eyes glinted.

"What are you going to do with us?" asked Ganju, his face calm for the first time.

"Im going to take you to your brother." said Kenpachi, his face in a wide grin again.

Ganju realized immediately his plans.

_I have to get her out of here._

But there was no need to actually take her to Ichigo. Why?

He's right over there.

Ganju smirked when he felt Ichigo's over flowing reiatsu. Renji, Madarame and Yumichika were also there, their arms crossed.

**HT/KK**

"Ryoka alert." said Ikkaku, who after received the hell butterfly, dragged Yumichika to Ichigo and Renji ("Don't drag me, Ikkaku! That is so un-beautiful!" said Yumichika).

When they finally spotted orange and red hair, they landed, sending the two in shock.

Ikkaku smirked and said,

"Im guessing you know that you're sister is here, Ichigo." said Ikkaku.

"He didn't realize it until I pointed it out." said Renji. Ichigo pointed a finger at him.

"Shut up!" he said. Sending him an angry glare.

"Anyway, we can't just stand here." said Renji. They all nodded, and started running.

"By the way, don't you feel another reiatsu?" asked Ichigo. Renji laughed boisterously.

"You can feel it?" he asked. Ichigo ignored him.

"Yeah I did." said Ikkaku. Yumichika raised an eyebrow in thought.

"It's familiar… But it's an ugly reiatsu, that's for sure." he said.

"That's Ganju. You fought him, remember?" said Ichigo. Yumichika smiled.

"No. I don't remember ugly faces." he said. But obviously he still remembered it.

Then they felt Karin and Ganju come closer. They stopped and dropped on the ground. Ichigo, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika looked around.

They weren't there.

Then another reiatsu, it was so powerful that they realized who it was instantly. It was Kenpachi.

They looked up, their faces full of dread. He was floating above them. And behind them where the outlines of Yachiru, Karin and Ganju. Yumichika's nose wrinkled.

Before they can start to wonder how he can even carry all of them at once, he descended from the sky, his reiatsu pushing them all down. Ichigo however remained his composure, knowing full well that he has surpassed Zaraki Kenpachi.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. We meet again." said Kenpachi, ignoring the others.

"Taicho, why do you have some ryoka on your back?" asked Ikkaku. Kenpachi looked at him, but decided not to say anything.

"Let go of my sister." muttered Ichigo. Karin popped out of the back and looked over at a bewildered Ichigo.

"Ichi-nii!" she said, as if she was always found behind a man, who wore an eye patch and bells on his spiky hair. Oh, and did I mention she was dead?

"Karin. What are you doing here?" he asked. His voice was silent. After all, his sister was really dead, and seeing her there… It was almost too good to be true.

"That's my line! You probably know I died right?" she said. Ichigo nodded, his head bursting with a million questions.

Kenpachi was still looking at Ichigo, then said,

"I know you are sad about your sister's death. I have her right now. If you want her, you have to fight me." said Kenpachi, clutching his katana, his face splitting in a wide grin.

Yachiru giggled and said,

"Ken-chan wants to fight Icchy!" she said, and she jumped off his back, dragging Karin and Ganju down with an amazing force.

Ichigo, being the overprotected brother that he is, grabbed Karin the instant she set foot on the ground. Karin punched him on the face and said,

"Excuse me, you do _not _have to grab me." she said. Ichigo pushed her to his back.

"You don't have to push me either!" she muttered menacingly.

"Im not going to fight you!" said Ichigo. That wiped the smile off Kenpachi.

Then he smiled again, this time his face stretched, showing wrinkles that signified his older state.

"I knew you were going to say that. Luckily, I don't care what you think." He said, then un-sheathed his zanpakuto and started lunging for Ichigo. At the background, Yachiru was laughing.

Ichigo dogged his first attack, and turned to Karin and the others.

"Get away from here, you idiots!" he said.

Ganju nodded, and dragged Karin, forcing her to run for her life. Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika however raised their eyebrows.

"Stupid. Do you actually think we are the kind who run?" asked Renji, a little angrily. Then he released his zanpakuto.

"Howl. Zabimaru!"

Then his Zabimaru extended, and looked like a snake.

Ikkaku smirked. Yumichika rolled his eyes.

"Taicho, what do you want us to do?" asked Yumichika. Zaraki looked at him and said,

"I don't care what you do. Don't interfere with this fight." He ordered, then he turned to Renji. "You want to play too, huh, Abarai? That's _good_ the more the merrier!"

The poised for another attack, he made to hit Renji, but Ichigo blocked him.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro jumped to the nearest building. A couple of reiatsu seemed to have popped up all of a sudden. His heart stopped when he realized that Kenpachi was there a little close to Karin. Ichigo was there to and a couple of others.

_They're obviously fighting._

_Oh no… Karin might get hurt. Sure she is tough, but she isn't a shinigami._

_Im sure Kurosaki won't let her get hurt._

_But still…_

He jumped of the building, his white coat billowing, and his ears whistling with the wind. When he dropped, he shunpoed fast. He may be a boy genius, but his height and weight did not permit him to move faster.

Then he was finally close. He cursed Sereitei for being too vast and complicated.

Suddenly, he spotted Kenpachi and Ichigo clashing swords. Renji had Zabimaru out, but he was being covered by Ichigo.

_Where the hell is Karin?_

He stopped a few spaces away from Kenpachi, who didn't seem to notice his presence.

"Where is she?" he asked. Ichigo looked at him, just realizing he was there. He didn't have to ask who 'she' was.

"She's with Ganju, I don't know where they are now." he said, then narrowly avoided Kenpachi's sword. Ikkaku and Yumichika where sitting nearby and they were watching silently.

Toushiro nodded and heared Kenpachi say,

"Keep your eyes on the fight!"

He ran faster, wondering where she was. He knew she was somewhere close, because he could feel her reiatsu, but it was faint.

He closed his eyes.

Why did things like this have to be so complicated?

**HT/KK**

Ganju and Karin where running faster. Karin was beginning to wonder why they were running, since no one seemed to be coming after them.

Suddenly Ganju looked at her.

"How come it was Zaraki who was coming near us? As much as I know, I do know that he is the 11th squad captain. And obviously that is supposed to be far from us.

Then from behind them, a hand clutched his arm. He looked back.

Karin was lying on the floor, her body unconscious. She didn't look hurt, but she was knocked out.

The hand that was clutching him was the threat he couldn't even comprehend. Soi Fon was looking at him, her face angry.

"Stupid ryoka. You should have known a few fireworks wouldn't block my senses." she said, then she punched him flat on the stomach, causing him to hit the wall.

Ganju grunted. His body ached to a million, and he couldn't stand up. Soi Fon was coming near him her white cloak billowing.

_S! Move, damn it!_

She grabbed the front of his cloak and dragged him up, her face close to his and said,

"I shouldn't waste my time handling useless ants like you." she sneered. "No tactics whatsoever. I don't even know why Yama-jin is bothering to get you captured. What a waste of time!"

In anger, she threw him on the floor, aiming a kick as soon as he landed. But in time, he grabbed her foot which threw her of guard, causing her to fall on her back.

"No tactics, huh?" he said, his face wide as he reached for another bomb.

"What are you doing ryoka?" she cried, a little shocked to see him reach for a bomb out of nowhere.

"It's not ryoka, Madame. It's Shiba Ganju." he said, throwing his arms in the air.

"S-Shiba?"

"That's right. Kuukaku is my sister. Which handles fireworks and bombs. Ya should have known right?" he smirked, the threw the bomb below.

The bomb was not just another run of the mill explosive. Ganju's specialty was and still is sand. So when it dropped the ground. It burst into sand that could fit a whole beach.

Ganju in time got Karin's body and jumped up to the highest wall, making sure not to be hit by a single piece of sand.

The sand, in any amount, could block the senses, and even the reiatsu.

The dust cleared and looked around, there was sand everywhere, and they could definitely call this Sereitei beach now, without the water.

Before he could leave, a sting hit his back, causing him and Karin to fall of the wall into the sand.

Ganju and Karin were trapped as if they were in a black hole. Karin, who was still unconscious, was drifting away deeper, and Ganju instinctively grabbed her by the arm, but her face was already buried. He looked up, his face contorted in fury.

Soi Fon was standing, her hand holding a pincer like gold stinger right on her middle finger. There was blood dripping on it.

"Falling for your own game. That's a shame, ryoka. And as I said, Im wasting my time." She said. Her stinger-thing disappearing and she jumped of the wall, to a different place.

Ganju was falling deeper into the pit, and his mouth was being covered by sand.

_Damn it!_

Suddenly, a hand reached for his and Karin's, and pulled them up. He coughed up the sand, and held tighter on his savior's hand and Karin's.

When they were in a safer place, he looked at the hero.

It was Hitsugaya Toushiro, his eyes looking at an unconscious Karin.

**HT/KK**

Karin opened her eyes. Her body ached, and she tried to sit up, but ended up cracking her spine.

She kept her eyes closed, because the lids where very heavy.

_What happened?_

_Oh yeah. That 2nd squad captain attacked me from the back while Ganju was talking. All I remember is darkness and the uncomfortable feeling of being drowned._

_Where am I?_

_I don't know… I hope Ganju is okay._

She gripped the cloth that was wrapped around her. It was comfortable lying there. Then she opened her eyes, with a matching groan at that. It was so heavy, she felt like she was lifting weights instead of her eyelids.

Karin looked around. It was an odd place to be. She has never been there before. It looked like she was in an office. There was a wooden table, but there was no one sitting there.

She was lying on what looked like a couch, and there was a coffee table next to her. There was a basin with water in it, and a washcloth that had some very odd particles attached to it.

She reached for the cloth, with humungous effort and felt the particles. It looked like sand.

_Wait… SAND?_

How did sand get there? She scanned her mind, and realized it was probably what she felt when she thought she was drowning.

How? A whole lot of questions made her mind ache more. And it wasn't only the headache that made it hurt.

She sat up, without avail. Then she tried again and succeeded. She rubbed her forehead and stood up, and was pleased to see her legs working in full force.

As she stepped to the table, and touched it, there seemed to be a lot of paperwork on it. And most of them where done.

There was a nameplate right in front of the desk, and she gasped audibly.

"Histugaya Toushiro taicho!" she exclaimed. She touched it, and knew in the instant that it was pure gold.

"Wow… He's really elite." she said in awe, as she picked it up and traced the name. Without thinking she kissed the name and grinned.

Then the door banged open, Karin jumped almost dropping the name plate. She put it quickly on the table and looked at the entrée.

There standing was Ganju and he looked worried, behind him standing was Matsumoto and Toushiro.

_Toushiro!_

'The surprises just keep on coming.' she thought happily.

Toushiro was standing awkwardly beside the doorframe, his eyes avoiding Karin. Ganju hugged her, and squeezed the daylights out of her.

"Ganju-kun!" she grunted, her body proving impossible to move. Matsumoto grabbed her and smothered her with her breasts with a hug.

Karin blushed and immediately thought that she like it better when Ganju hugs her, but Matsumoto released her immediately.

"Karin-chan… I missed you." said Matsumoto. Karin grinned.

"Thanks Rangiku-san. But it wasn't like we haven't seen each other for a century." she said.

Matsumoto laughed, then turned to Toushiro expectantly.

He remained silent however. They, Karin and Toushiro, where looking into each other's eyes. There was no need for words. Matsumoto realized that they were having a moment so she said,

"Whoops! I gotta go… Uhh, we have this… Thing! Yeah." she stuttered. Then she dragged Ganju out who looked interested.

"Matsumoto!!" he said.

Matsumoto looked at him and whispered loudly in his ear,

"Can't you see taicho and Karin are having a moment? Shut up and follow me." she said.

Toushiro broke his concentration from Karin to glare at Matsumoto but she was already out of the door.

There was silence. A silence that doesn't seem to want to be broken. After a few seconds, Karin broke it.

"You know, this office is really savvy." she said quietly.

"Yeah." said Toushiro in the same silence.

Then to his surprise, Karin bounded to him and gave him a big hug, that threw him off his balance. As shocked as he was, he was really happy to be able to feel her again… Her touch…

"Karin…" he simply said. Karin looked up and her eyes where wetter than wet, because she tried not to cry.

"Stupid idiot." she said, then buried her head on his chest again. Toushiro smiled then picked up her chin.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. Karin scoffed, and said,

"Im not crying… I have sand in my eyes." she lied, then sniffed. Then she looked up in his eyes.

Toushiro was still holding her chin, and his gaze made Karin blush like a tomato, but she still held his gaze.

"Karin..." he said again.

"Yes?" asked Karin, still blushing because his hand was still on her chin and his gaze was burning holes on her.

Then without further ado his lips crashed into hers, Karin felt herself melt into his arms, but luckily his body was enough to keep her in place.


	24. Sister love

**Chapter 23: Sister love**

Ichigo ducked.

Behind him, Renji, being the reckless git that he is, delivered a blow that was supposed to be for Zaraki.

"The hell! Watch where you punch that hand, Baka-head!" cried Ichigo, sending a punch to Renji, but was forced to use his sword because Kenpachi swerved his sword in his direction. "Use your frikin' sword, damn it! Or better yet, get out of the way!!"

Renji didn't answer, at that moment he already had two injuries on his left shoulder. Zabimaru was still clutched on his hand, but his fingers where weak from all the swinging.

'Damn, he's too fast!' thought Renji. He swung his sword again, but when it hit Zaraki, it was useless, he didn't have a single injury.

"The hell are you!" it wasn't a question, it was an exclamation of utter shock.

"You're sword is useless against me." said Kenpachi, a glare from his un-patched left eye.

Ichigo tried not to nod, but pushed Renji away, but he wasn't budging. His head was wet with sweat, and his eyes were concentrated on Zaraki. He was still in shock, and Ichigo was starting to get annoyed.

"If you're just going to stand there, get back!" spat Ichigo at him. Zaraki smiled evilly an slashed Renji right on his chest. Renji hit the ground, his reiatsu weakening in the process.

Ichigo looked at Renji, who seemed to have fallen in slow motion. Zaraki, then delivered a kick to the ribs for Renji. He slammed on the nearby wall, his body unconscious.

Kenpachi looked at Ichigo, then without warning attacked him with his sword. Ichigo stopped it from hitting his face. Kenpachi was still forcing it, and their swords where clashing in unison.

"Yes, yes, yes!" boomed Kenpachi, truly enjoying his fight with Ichigo. Then suddenly, Kenpachi delivered a slash on Ichigo's shoulders.

He fell to his knees, looking at Kenpachi with angry eyes, his hand trying to hold the sudden rush of blood.

Kenpachi looked at him in a glare, as if saying "Stand up, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

Ichigo glared back and stabbed him with his sword. Kenpachi paused, then his face split into a wide grin.

"Good." he simply said. Then with his hand, he took the sword with his fingers and took it off, the sword was now bloody, and Ichigo's face was still full with fury.

‑­

Ichigo shunpoed back. Kenpachi stayed in place.

"Ive been meaning to ask this. Why do you want to save her?" asked Kenpachi, his sword dangling from his hand, his face relaxed even if he had a wound on his stomach, and it was seeming to his bloody shinigami robe.

"What are you talking about! She is my sister!" exclaimed Ichigo.

"I know that. But for me it's more useless than ever." replied Kenpachi. Ichigo's face contorted in shock.

Kenpachi continued,

"I have never had a sister, so maybe you think I won't understand. But for me, it makes common sense to just move on and leave her here. Let her be."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed.

"I love my sister, and her death—" he started. Kenpachi cut through him.

"Her death means that she has moved on! And now you follow her here, you are just giving trouble to yourself." he said, his face quite serious.

Ichigo remained silent. He has never heared him speak like this.

He looked to his side, Ikkaku and Yumichika were completely ignoring Renji's body, but they were listening intently to their captain.

Ikkaku had his eyes closed, his mouth in a frown. Yumichika was sitting on the floor still, and was looking at his captain, absorbing.

"Maybe you are right. But like I said, I love my sister." he said, and with a swift movement, his arms where raised to his front, now ignoring the pain from his shoulders.

"Love? It is a useless feeling. But doesn't really matter, let's go!" he said, his arms stretched open. Ichigo ran forward, but Zaraki flashed stepped to his back and stabbed him with his sword.

Ichigo, for the second time fell to the ground.

"You are getting soft." growled Zaraki, then he picked up Ichigo by his robe and trashed him to the side.

Ichigo groaned.

_This is useless. At this rate, I have to use bankai._

_Ready, Zangetsu?_

"Man, I didn't think I would have to use this." said Ichigo quietly. Kenpachi stopped smiling, then looked shocked for a fleeting second.

"What did you say?" he asked.

‑­

"BANKAI!" roared Ichigo. His overflowing reiatsu smashed the walls nearby. Kenpachi covered his head by was grinning like an idiot.

"Ah yes, you didn't use that last time. So this is where it starts, eh?" he said, then without further ado, he ripped of his eye mask.

Though his hidden reiatsu was strong, it was enough to only match Ichigo's.

**HT/KK**

Ikkaku and Yumichika were not in their places anymore, they where now standing in a safe spot, their arms crossed.

"I have never seen taicho rip of his mask before." said Yumichika in awe.

"He never used a mask before when we fought, but now, his reiatsu is impressive." said Ikkaku quietly. Renji's body was lying face flat on the floor, a little blood trickling on his shoulder.

"Should we heal him?" asked Yumichika, pointing a finger at Renji in disgust.

"Leave 'im, let the 4th squad handle that idiot." replied Ikkaku, not looking at Renji.

**HT/KK**

"I have never seen a tinier bankai." said Kenpachi, eyeing the black blade of Zangetsu.

Ichigo grunted and cried,

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

When the dust cleared, Kenpachi was grinning but his arm and hands where bloody, there seemed to have a crack on the floor.

The two watchers and Renji narrowly avoided being hit by it.

"That's strong. I should have one of those." said Kenpachi, as if a 'bankai' was an item associated with a stuffed toy Chappy the Bunny.

Kenpachi zoomed forward and was about to hit Ichigo when Ichigo disappeared then appeared from behind him his sword right on the left leg of Kenpachi.

"The hell…!" boomed Kenpachi, but his face was still smiling like a maniac.

He fell to his knees. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"That's new. I should have hit you on your knees last time." said Ichigo amusedly. Kenpachi smirked.

"I don't intend to let you win, Kurosaki!" he boomed, then his sword slashed Ichigo, who was caught off-guard.

Ichigo groaned as blood came out of him, and he coughed out blood angrily. He wiped the blood with his sleeve.

"It's not over yet!"

Then he one second he was at the left of Kenpachi, then the next he was behind him then to his right, then to his left, each attack was left with a hit and a blow, Kenpachi was bloody now, looking shocked and happy at the same time.

His captain robe was more ripped than ever, then when Ichigo appeared before him, he finally dodged his attack and Ichigo stepped back.

"The speed. I get it now." said Kenpachi. "Such a small bankai… It gives you speed as a power, that's amazing, and I rarely say that."

Then he clutched his sword harder. Then he grinned. Ichigo grinned too.

They both ran forward at the same time, their swords at the ready.

There was more dust, and it seemed hard to clear.

**HT/KK**

Ikkaku and Yumichika where gaping at the scene, when Ichigo and their taicho where running to each other, and there was dust and a big blow.

Yumichika was covering his mouth with his hands, his eyes narrowed.

Then above them, Yachiru, who was watching, dropped. She looked worried.

"Ken-chan hasn't had this much fun in a long time." She simply said, waiting for the dust to clear. Though she looked worried, a small smile was creeping on her baby face.

Ikkaku and Yumichika where looking at her.

"Right." They said at the same time, then they saw Yachiru run into the dusty place.

**HT/KK**

The dust finally cleared and at the same time, two bodies dropped to the ground, they both had identical bloody slashes on their side.

Yachiru stopped beside Kenpachi's body, still smiling.

No one seemed to have won. Until Ichigo's body stirred.

_I can't move, that was crazy._

Suddenly a hand lifted him effortlessly, he was now standing, his body supported by none other than Ikkaku. Yumichika was standing next to him.

Yachiru was still next to Kenpachi when she said,

"Thank you, Icchy! I hope you will play with Ken-chan again." she said. Then she touched his body with one hand and they disappeared.

There was silence.

"Ikkaku." muttered Ichigo, Yumichika was holding Renji by the hand, he was dragging him.

"What?" he replied annoyed.

"I hate your squad." said Ichigo faintly. Then he lost consciousness, hearing Ikkaku swear and say,

"**DAMN IT**! DON'T FAINT ON ME YOU _IDIOT_!" boomed Ikkaku.

Too late.

**HT/KK**

While the battle was happening, miles away, at the 1st squad, Soi Fon was standing in front of Yamamato sotaicho. She was delivering report about her fight with Ganju, and Karin.

After she finished reporting about the fight, the Commander General simply nodded and said,

"Is there an imposing threat in them?" he asked. Soi Fon shook her head.

"No, sotaicho." she said.

He nodded again and told her to leave. Soi Fon left with a final bow.

Yamamato turned to Choujiro his fukutaicho and said,

"As usual, Soi Fon taicho is underestimating the ryoka. And I do not make the same mistake twice." he said. Choujiro nodded.

"Get me Hitsuagaya taicho."


	25. Priorities

**Chapter 24: Priorities**

Kissing was always a way of showing passion and love. But that was only for the two. But why are there people outside the Administration office of the 10th squad?

Matsumoto, Ganju and a just arrived Rukia where standing outside the window half covered. The only thing you would see was their eyes and hair because there was a desk covering them.

Matsumoto's eyes where wide, and she was silently laughing. Ganju was blushing, as if he was intruding in something private. Which it was! Rukia was blushing too, but she kept her poise and watched quietly.

Toushiro and Karin was still in a passionate lip lock and they didn't notice, giving the circumstances. When they finally stopped, the three watchers ducked behind the wall for cover. Karin was out of breath.

"Are you okay?" asked Toushiro, he too looked out of breath but he was smiling. Karin grinned, and blushed.

"Sure. What made you?" she asked. Toushiro looked puzzled. "Kiss me, I mean."

Nervous laughter. Toushiro too was blushing now.

"I-I missed you. And I don't have to ask you if I have to kiss you, right?" asked Toushiro, pretending to be worried.

"Of course not, Baka!" boomed Karin. They laughed. Matsumoto, who was still behind the wall, felt her jaw dropped to the floor.

They both sat down on the couch. There was more silence, and Karin was happy that way. It seemed like minutes before Toushiro turned to Karin and went a little more closer, their thighs touching.

Karin, almost instinctively, rested her head against his shoulder. Toushiro turned beet red, because Karin didn't seem conscious that she did it. A drop of sweat dripped from his forehead as he saw that their hands where close to each other.

His hands shook as he wrapped his hand around hers. And she responded by entwining hers with his.

Toushiro looked at her, and smiled. He didn't know, but she fell asleep on his shoulder. Her head was close to his that he could smell her hair. It didn't smell like anything. No wonder, there wasn't any shampoo in Rukongai.

He rested his head on hers, and wished the moment could last longer.

_It's going fast isn't it?_

_What do you mean?_

_I mean… The first second we were looking for each other…_

_And the next we are sitting like a true couple on a couch._

_Don't act like you don't know though…_

_What?_

_She is still a Ryoka. Therefore, she is not welcome here._

Toushiro stifled a gasp and his head shot up, his hands almost un-entwining from Karin's.

"That's right. What will I do?" he asked no one in particular.

He released his hand from Karin's and rested her on the couch, for a few seconds starring at her calm face, and he felt his face stretch in a small smile.

Suddenly, Matsumoto burst into the room, almost waking up Karin, who just stirred and mumbled something incoherent.

Hitsugaya glared at her icily, worthy of Hyourinmaru. Matsumoto did not stir under the stare but she looked worried. He was about to ask he what was up when he saw a hell butterfly hanging on her finger.

"Taicho." said Matsumoto, her mouth barely opening. Hitsuagaya gulped, something was definitely wrong for her to talk like that.

"What is it?" he asked, wishing against his whitey-chan hair that it wasn't about Karin.

"Taicho." she repeated. Hitsuagaya lost it and cried,

"WHAT!?" he cracked, not standing the suspense at all.

Matsumoto frowned, not wanting to tell him. But she had to because her taicho looked angrier than ever.

"You are called forth to the sotaicho. It's about the ryoka. I meant Karin and Ganju." she said quietly, and spotted Karin lying on the couch.

Hitsugaya felt his heart skip a beat.

_Does he know?_

_How the HELL will he know?_

He started breathing fast, never feeling more pressure in his mind. This was inappropriate for a taicho, mainly for him because he was known to be cool under pressure.

Matsumoto scrunched her face as she watched her taicho slightly hyperventilate silently. She went forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You couldn't have hidden it forever. Sooner or later, they would know. And it just so happens that he chose it today. Face the music, taicho." she said, smiling a bit.

Toushiro looked at her, they were in level now, in height I mean. He couldn't understand where all the wisdom was coming from but he agreed with her.

"I still don't know what to do." he said, before he could stop himself.

_Oh f! That shouldn't be what a taicho says._

_The hell. Im cracking._

"Tell them the truth, they probably wouldn't understand. But I know you will do the right thing." Then she exited the room.

Hitsugaya scratched his head.

_Why do people always say that line, then smile, then end up leaving the room. Do they actually think it was helpful? Hell no! It was confusing._

But he knew full well that Matsumoto was right. There was always an answer for everything. It was just the answer of priorities.

Priorities, huh? For him, priorities where always his squad, Sereitei, and Soul Society. Never in his whole life did he think that one day, priorities would point to a single girl.

That was Karin. He looked over at her again.

Karin. All his life, he has been treated like a kid. A genius, true, but still a kid. The only people who actually thought he was higher was Matsumoto and his squad, but that was barely. But Karin, sure at the start she treated him like a elementary student. But still, she didn't ever doubt that he had romantic feelings inside his tough shell.

She was the only one who was able to break it. Rarely would you find him smiling. But she made him smile, laugh like an idiot, and kiss a girl.

Over and over again. It was hard to think which was more important. Karin… Or Soul Society.

He wasn't asked to choose yet. He wasn't even sure they were going to ask it. But still, he knew he had to choose sooner or later.

His mind started to ache, and that wasn't a good sign. He knew he had to leave soon or the sotaicho will freak.

Toushiro knew he couldn't talk to the sotaicho with his head full of thoughts about Karin. So with a last look at her, he swept out of the room, leaving a barrier around the door.

He knew she couldn't exit the room like that or a person could come in, because she didn't know Kidou.

He looked around before leaving and saw Matsumoto sitting beside Ganju on the steps. They looked over at him, but decided not to say anything, which Toushiro was extremely grateful for.

Toushiro ran out, and made his way around Sereitei, finding it harder to go around, now that his senses where blocked by thoughts out what to do.

"Damn that old bastard." He muttered, and destroyed the nearby wall.

**HT/KK**

Ikkaku wiped his sweat and grinned evilly. Ichigo was hanging on his shoulder like a rag doll, because he lost his consciousness. Yumichika was still dragging Renji, who looked dirty because he was sweeping the ground.

"Let's put them in the 4th squad." said Ikkaku. Yumichika eyes Ikkaku's katana.

"Why don't you use that scar healer thing on your sword's hilt?" he asked. Ikkaku scoffed.

"Im not using that valuable thing on this asses." he said in reply. Yumichika shrugged and continued dragging them to the 4th squad.

Then suddenly a huge crash of the wall made them stop.

"What the…?" muttered Ikkaku.

He dropped Ichigo unceremoniously on the ground and shunpoed to the place where the sound came from. There he saw Hitsugaya looking angrier than he was the last time he saw him.

"Histugaya taicho!" he cried in surprise. Hitsugaya looked at him and continued running away.

Ikkaku scratched his head, then he went back to Yumichika who was wrinkling his nose at Ichigo and Renji in a "Eww, ugly!" way.

"What happened?" asked Yumichika as Ikkaku landed next to him.

"Hitsugaya taicho looked angry. And it seemed he was the one who smashed the wall. Do you think it's about… You know?"

Yumichika shrugged again and said,

"Whatever it is, it's definitely driving him crazy to break a wall. How ugly."

Ikkaku smirked and picked up Ichigo again.

"You're right. Who cares anyway."

Then they shunpoed to the 4th squad, eager to see if Karin and Ganju where there.

**HT/KK**

Hitsugaya finally arrived in the front of the 1st squad. He was late, he knew. But he didn't care either.

He pushed the door, and saw himself being greeted by none other the Yama-jin.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence, _Hitsuagaya taicho_." He said, sounding very formal as usual.

_Us? Who else was here?_

He looked around and saw standing like a real noble, Kuchiki Byakuya taicho, his hair in the usual kenseikan. Beside him was Soi Fon taicho, looking sinister indeed.

He stood beside them, but he was greeted by neither captains.

"Do you know why you are here?" he asked all of them. Soi Fon nodded. Byakuya didn't do anything. Toushiro just remained silence.

"Hitsugaya taicho, do you know what a ryoka is?" he asked, his tone still formal. Byakuya looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Unwanted visitors." replied Toushiro. Yama-jin opened his eyes, and Toushiro felt his insides burn.

"Unwanted visitors." repeated Yama-jin, his tone now growing into a growl. "Now, I have called you three here for a reason. That is because you have been associated with these_ ryoka."_

"I do not understand, sotaicho. I have been associated with them, but I certainly did not help them." said Byakuya coldly. Obviously, he had been busy with something and was interrupted with a meeting that was useless for him to even attend.

Yama-jin looked at him.

"I know that. But I also know that you know something about Hitsugaya taicho and Kurosaki Karin." he said, calmly but sternly.

Toushiro froze. He sucked the words in slowly. _He knew_. And he couldn't do a thing to deny it.

"How did you know?" asked Byakuya. Yama-jin stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"I don't know myself, but I have my sources." he just said.

_Maybe it's true when they say walls have ears. _

_Maybe that's why Sereitei has a million walls in the first place._

_No._

Yama-jin was now watching Toushiro, and so was Soi Fon and Byakuya.

"Tell me, are my sources true?"

Toushiro bowed his head. Was he going to say the thing that will lose him his job?

He had to choose.

He had to choose his priority.

Karin… Or Soul Society?

Somehow he knew the answer, he was just finding a hard time saying it out loud.

_Priorities, huh? For him, priorities where always his squad, Sereitei, and Soul Society. Never in his whole life did he think that one day, priorities would point to a single girl._

"Yes, sotaicho. It is true." he said, his voice firmer than he intended.

There was silence.


	26. Power

**Chapter 25: Power**

Hitsugaya felt his face burn at the stares of the three taicho. Byakuya was glaring at him knowingly. Soi Fon looked like she didn't know, but had her arms crossed. The Commander-general however was just looking.

He didn't look angry, but Hitsugaya taicho was feeling that he really was.

Finally, Yama-jin started talking.

"Hitsugaya taicho. I have never expected such a crime from you." He said lowly. Toushiro couldn't bear to bring up his head as he bowed at him.

"I am very sorry, sotaicho." He just said. Yama-jin banged his cane on the floor, and let out a strong wave of reiatsu for a second. Even if it was only a second, it was enough for Toushiro.

"Sorry? Sorry for what exactly?" asked Soi Fon, she too seemed to think that Toushiro was a delinquent for falling for a human girl.

"I-I…" he started but he couldn't bring himself to talk.

"Sorry for loving, is it Hitsugaya?" said Byakuya. His eyes were closed. Toushiro looked up at him.

"No." he muttered. He wasn't sorry at all.

He didn't want to apologize. Why would he say sorry for loving someone?

Wait. Love? He wasn't in love. Or was he?

"Then why are you apologizing?" asked Soi Fon. Toushiro looked at her, she was wearing a frown.

"I am sorry that I have disappointed."

"You should have thought about that when you started—" she started.

"Shut up. You do not know what you are saying." growled Toushiro. Soi Fon looked taken aback for a minute.

"That's enough, you children. I do not have time to deal with squabbles!" said Yama-jin sternly and loudly. Byakuya scoffed.

Soi Fon bowed respectively and looked over at Toushiro, her eyes narrowed.

Toushiro avoided looking at her and waited for the sotaicho to talk.

"Hitsugaya taicho, do you realize how grave your situation is?" asked Yama-jin.

"Yes, sir." he replied quietly.

"Apparently, this Kurosaki Karin is a kin to our shinigami representative, so in all causes, we will not harm her." said Yama-jin. Toushiro let out a sigh inwardly. This was a relief. At least he can guarantee her safety.

Yama-jin continued, his eyes on Toushiro.

"I will give her and Shiba Ganju as chance to leave Sereitei. They are no longer welcome here. This is a permanent decision."

Toushiro felt his body freeze.

_Leave Sereitei?_

_But… _

"I assume that you have a say in this." said Byakuya. It was not a question. It was a statement.

"She will not be able to come back here?" asked Toushiro.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"Are you deaf? That's right. But why are you so worried, Hitsugaya taicho?" he asked. Toushiro glared at him. He stopped himself from releasing his bankai.

Yama-jin and Soi Fon where both waiting for an answer too.

Why where they so interested all of a sudden? Oh that's right. This was his love life. He started frantically thinking.

_Soul Society or Karin?_

Then suddenly, he burst. He knew the answer, he just has to say it.

"I love Karin. And I do not want her to be out there, without me!" he cried.

This was met by an annoyed sound from Soi Fon. Yama-jin remained silent.

"Like we care—" chimed Soi Fon. Yama-jin raised a hand in silence.

"Let him speak." He told her.

Toushiro's jaw dropped inwardly. Was he given a say in this?

"Ahh well. I love her. And if you have to take her away… You have to take me away with her!" he boomed. Byakuya raised his eyebrows.

"Are you gambling your position?" asked Byakuya, clearly amused.

Was he? He just said the thing that he had been thinking the whole time he was there. But now that he has said it… Doubts where coming. He wanted to take back what he said.

Suddenly, he remembered the first time he found out he was a taicho.

_I was just a kid back then. A very hyper active kid at that. I had no goals, and all I wanted was to laze around in the grass eating watermelons._

_Hinamori Momo, my best friend, was already named a fukutaicho in the 5th squad. That was when she came home one day, announcing the news._

"_Whitey-chan! You won't guess what's happening." she said immediately before she even sat down._

_I was not interested at all. But her face was shining to say it so I gave in._

"_What?" I asked, somewhat irritated. I couldn't keep the irritation out of my voice. It was something I carried even before I became a captain._

_Hinamori giggled happily._

"_I was made a lieutenant at the 5th squad! Do you remember the captain I was talking about last time?" she burst._

_Of course I did. That Aizen poisoned her mind even before the incident. _

"_So?" I said. Hinamori scrunched her face._

"_You should be happy for me!" she said, and she ruffled my hair. She knew I hated that._

"_Alright. Good for you." I said tonelessly. She glowed more._

"_Anyway, I have to go!" she stood up. I didn't care really. But then I saw a zanpakuto._

_Hinamori saw that I was looking and smiled. She took it out, and let me hold it._

"_Wow." I said, before I could stop myself. It was fantastic, holding something so powerful._

_That was one thing I didn't have. Power. Since I was always the small person, nobody treated me with respect, even Hinamori._

_Ever since I held that katana, I wanted to be a shinigami._

_Soon after I was accepted at the Central Technique Institute. I was happy there, I made friends… Even though I was still a small person. I was the youngest and smallest._

_I fought every battle with a great mind. I was on top of my game. I was always tops and then they forgot I was the small, thin kid with white hair._

_When I graduated, I was immediately given my own zanpakuto. Then I was assigned to the 10th squad. I was made into a 3rd seat officer. Soon after the death of the captain, I was given the job as captain._

_Now, I have power. Though I am still underestimated, I know that I am great enough. And now I am truly happier than I have ever been._

_Then came Karin._

Hitsugaya sighed at the memories and even if he was happy, he still couldn't give up Karin.

"Yes." he simply said. Soi Fon raised an eyebrow too.

"You know full well you cannot resign, Hitsugaya taicho." said Soi Fon. "Do not be an idiot, and think that way."

"That's right. Now that we lost three valuable captains, we cannot afford to lose more." said Byakuya.

They were right of course, but Toushiro was being stubborn as always.

"The girl and her associate have 24 hours to evacuate Sereitei. If they stay here a second longer, we will exterminate them." said Yama-jin, his tone indicating the end of the conversation.

"No. Didn't you hear what I said? If she leaves, I do too." said Toushiro. "And obviously, your decision is final. So I am going to resign."

His heart plunged to the bottom of his shoes. Did he just say that? Yes he did!

"You are being impotent, boy! If you leave Sereitei to follow the ryoka, then we have no choice but to treat you as one." said Yama-jin, he was angry.

"I don't really care." replied Toushiro.

Did he say that too? Oh no he did.

Soi Fon growled angrily, and was about to release her zanpakuto when Yama-jin stopped her again.

She straightened up and glared at Toushiro. Byakuya was not moving or talking at all. He was simply watching what will happen next.

Yama-jin stroked his beard.

"I will give you until the morning to decide, Hitsugaya taicho. And until then, goodbye." he said and turned around.

Hitsugaya sighed again. Then bowed with Soi Fon and Byakuya, then he exited first. He was not in the mood to hear the spite remarks of Soi Fon or Byakuya.

He wanted to talk to Karin. He wanted to hear her say.

It was still complicated, and he had to make a decision. For some reason, right now there was no room for mistakes.

**Chapter 26: Scars**

Voices. There are voices. They all sounded familiar. Suddenly, a loud thump. Then followed by scraping and a thump too. Then scuffling, it sounded like papers. Then more voices.

Karin couldn't distinguish who it was. It felt like a dream. She opened her eyes, in time to find Matsumoto stand up and say something that sounded like,

"Don't put them there! In fact, don't put them anywhere." said Matsumoto.

Karin shook her head. Her mind felt mushy, as if too many things happened today, that she couldn't comprehend.

She bolted upright, and saw everything clearly. Ikkaku and Yumichika where standing there next to Matsumoto, they seemed to be looking at something below them.

"Actually, we were supposed to take them to the 4th squad." said Ikkaku, he kicked the 'thing' on the floor.

Karin craned her neck to see what it was, and her eyes widened when she saw it was Ichigo and Renji. Their orange and red hair was enough to make her know. They looked a little bloody and battered.

"Then why didn't you?" asked Matsumoto, a little exasperated. Yumichika smirked.

"Ikkaku says that it's too risky that way." He said. "I don't get him either. The 4th squad is pretty close to the 3rd you know."

"What happened?" asked Karin, her voice was a little croaky. The three jumped all of a sudden, they didn't seem to notice that she was awake.

"These two idiots fought Kenpachi. You where there, you saw him yield his sword." said Ikkaku.

"Yes! But I didn't expect them to actually attack!" cried Karin. Not that she thought about it much. In fact, ever since she saw Toushiro, she forgot about Ichigo.

"They could've ran away. It would have been more sensible." said Matsumoto, her sensibility getting more obvious.

Ikkaku and Yumichika looked at her as if she was a meringue talking.

"Are you kidding me, Rangiku-san?" asked Ikkaku. "Tell me you are kidding."

"Why?" asked Karin and Matsumoto, who thought that running away from a tall scary guy with an eye-patch and bells on his spiky hair, was way to sensible than to attack him.

"Running away is ugly." said Yumichika, his arms where crossed.

"In the 11th squad, when you run away, you are practically a stranger, and if our taicho finds out… He'll kick you out." said Ikkaku.

"What does that have to do with Ichi-nii and Renji-kun?" asked Karin. Yumichika looked at her.

"You should know better. Ichigo will never run away. And Renji used to be from the 11th squad."

"How should I know?"

Then suddenly there was a loud bang from the door. Ganju was standing there, when he saw Karin he went to her and gave her a loud thump on the back.

"I just came back from the 13th squad. I brought Rukia back." He said, then turned to Karin and put his arm around her.

"You got enough rest!" he boomed. Karin grinned sheepishly. "You used Hitsugaya as a pillow, ya know."

"What?!" she cried. Matsumoto giggled, and nodded.

"So romantic, little kisses are." said Ganju, his hands together, and he was batting his eye lashes.

Yumichika grunted something that sounded like,

"Even if you do that, you will never be beautiful. You can never turn a frog into a butterfly."

Ganju looked at him.

"Speak for yourself, frog." He said. Yumichika blanched.

"Why you little ugly runt!" he boomed. Karin sensed a fight so she asked a question that just came into her brain,

"Speaking of Toushiro… Where is he?" she asked, and turned to Matsumoto expectantly. The two who were still fighting stopped and looked at her too. So did Ikkaku.

"H-He's out. At a meeting." said Matsumoto. Karin blinked.

"A meeting about what?" she asked. Matsumoto blushed.

"No need to be so curious, Karin-chan." said Ganju, who knew all about it, and didn't want to spoil her afternoon.

"What is it? It's about us isn't it!" it wasn't a question. Ganju blushed too.

"I-I don't know." he said. Karin grabbed his collar and banged him on the wall. Ganju squirmed and wondered where she got the strength.

Ikkaku whispered something to Yumichika who nodded.

"Shut up with the lies! You're not very good at it, damn it!" she cried. Ganju pushed her gently, and she loosened her grip.

"If you want to know, it is about us. More for you, really. But that's all I know." said Ganju, his arms raised in surrender.

Karin let go and crossed her arms, then sat down.

For some reason, she knew all about it.

_I knew, before I got here, before. I knew that when I planned this, I would have to leave. There is not use denying something that is so obvious. _

_But why, even if I knew this would happen, did I go here? Toushiro, of course._

_I really am getting soft, it's almost stupid._

Matsumoto was looking at her anxiously.

"Karin." she said.

"No, I don't want to talk about it, Rangiku-san." said Karin. Matsumoto nodded.

"Anyway, cut the drama! What am I going to do with these asses? Im not bringing them to the 11th squad." said Ikkaku loudly, pointing with his sword Ichigo and Renji.

Yumichika wrinkled his nose, in disgust.

"We have these extra futons here." said Matsumoto, then went to the cabinet and reached for some moth eaten futons and laid it down on the floor. "Taicho won't be happy about this."

Ikkaku dragged the two by their feet and laid them none too gently, in a very awkward position.

Matsumoto reached in the cabinet again, and found some bandages.

"Madarame-kun, can you please put these on?" she asked. Ikkaku shook his head and said,

"Ive done enough."

Matsumoto handed it to Yumichika who let go as soon as it touched his hand.

"Eww. It's so dirty, and ugly!"

Karin picked it up.

"I'll do it. It's my fault anyway." said Karin, and she wrapped a bandage around the wounds.

Karin thought this was a brilliant idea to forget Toushiro for the time being.

A few minutes later, Ikkaku and Yumichika left them at it. Ganju was sleeping on the couch. Matsumoto was sitting on the table and watching Karin tend to their wounds.

Then a hell butterfly came in. Karin gasped.

"What the hell is that!" she cried.

"It's a hell butterfly. It's a shocking thing, that's why they called it Hell Butterfly, hence the name. You demonstrated it yourself, Karin." said Matsumoto, laughing a bit then turning serious as it came nearer her.

"Ive seen them before. When you came to the real world via portal, you had a black butterfly each, right?" said Karin. Matsumoto nodded.

"That is one of its many uses. Without a hell butterfly, a person cannot pass by the portal from the Soul Society. It is also used as a communication tool. But it's main use here, is to deliver urgent messages to a assigned officer, fukutaicho, or taicho." said Matsumoto.

"So right now, it's delivering a message?"

"Right. I wonder what it is. Watch this, Karin." she said, and pointed a finger out. The hell butterfly landed on her finger.

Matsumoto started speaking, as if the butterfly was talking to her in a language that she had to translate.

"Attention: The ryoka are instructed to leave Sereitei tomorrow, 12 noon. An advance guard will be there. If the ryoka resist, they are to be terminated. End of message."

Karin gasped.

"Is that true?" asked Karin.

Matsumoto nodded. Then let the butterfly go, Karin looked a little shocked. Then Karin felt her body lie down on the floor. To her shock, Matsumoto laid there too.

"What do we do?" she asked. Karin looked at her, her body going up a bit.

"We?"

"Yes we. We are friends, and friends help friends." said Matsumoto, smiling. Karin smiled back, a little sadly.

"We do nothing." said Karin, sternly.

"What?"

"We do nothing." she repeated. Matsumoto eyed her, and propped her elbows up.

"What do you mean?" asked Matsumoto. Karin sighed.

"I didn't stutter didn't I? I don't want to do anything. I'll probably just follow what that sotaicho said. I don't want to be a burden. I don't want anyone else to get hurt!"

So many people seemed to be getting hurt, just because of her.

"I don't want Toushiro to be hurt, not like what happened to Ichi-nii. Look at him!" continued Karin, and she pointed at Ichigo's unconscious body. Matsumoto sat up.

"Do you actually think, that if you leave… Hitsugaya taicho will not be hurt? I know him. Physical pain… he can handle. But mental pain… Inner pain. That's a different story." she said slowly.

"Do you know that when he left the real world to come back here… He never forgot about you. I could tell. Every single day, there was a time of the day when he seemed to be thinking about you. And im telling you, I like it when he smiles. But he also feels pain. Missing you, not being able to be with you. I know you felt that too… And do you want to feel it again, Karin?"

"Of course not! It's just that… I want him to stay here. I want him to be happy!" cried Karin, flailing her arms around like a snow angel.

"Don't be stupid, Karin. Haven't you realized that he has never been more happier when you are there?" replied Matsumoto. Karin narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"Oh yeah? Then why did he leave me in the first place? Why did he have to go to Soul Society, and leave me for 5 years, if I make him happy?! Explain that." said Karin.

"He has too!" cried Matsumoto, then she too stood up and crossed her arms around her body.

"Because it's his destiny, and I have no right to take that away from him." said Karin quietly.

"Don't think that way, Karin-chan. I know that even if he hasn't told you… He loves you." said Matsumoto, placing her hands on her arms, forcing her to face her.

"I love him too! And that's why I have to leave…" said Karin, her eyes sparkling in unshed tears. Then she gently took of her hands off her shoulders and held it with her hands. Then she hugged Matsumoto, who seemed taken aback at first, but returned the hug.

Karin smiled sadly and whispered in her hair,

"When I finally leave… Tell him that I love him, okay?" she said, "Excuse me, I want to take a walk."

Matsumoto nodded. Then Karin left, walking to the moonlight that seemed to radiate the sadness that she felt at that moment.

_Goodbye, Toushiro._

There are different types of scars. Scars like Ichigo's, those that at most time leave a mark, but sooner than you think, and with treatment, it will be gone before you know it. But there are scars like that of Matsumoto and Ichimaru, loosing each other, for the sake of their interests… It takes longer than you think.

Because time heals all scars. Scars heal in time. Even if it takes a lifetime.


	27. Scars

**Chapter 26: Scars**

Voices. There are voices. They all sounded familiar. Suddenly, a loud thump. Then followed by scraping and a thump too. Then scuffling, it sounded like papers. Then more voices.

Karin couldn't distinguish who it was. It felt like a dream. She opened her eyes, in time to find Matsumoto stand up and say something that sounded like,

"Don't put them there! In fact, don't put them anywhere." said Matsumoto.

Karin shook her head. Her mind felt mushy, as if too many things happened today, that she couldn't comprehend.

She bolted upright, and saw everything clearly. Ikkaku and Yumichika where standing there next to Matsumoto, they seemed to be looking at something below them.

"Actually, we were supposed to take them to the 4th squad." said Ikkaku, he kicked the 'thing' on the floor.

Karin craned her neck to see what it was, and her eyes widened when she saw it was Ichigo and Renji. Their orange and red hair was enough to make her know. They looked a little bloody and battered.

"Then why didn't you?" asked Matsumoto, a little exasperated. Yumichika smirked.

"Ikkaku says that it's too risky that way." He said. "I don't get him either. The 4th squad is pretty close to the 3rd you know."

"What happened?" asked Karin, her voice was a little croaky. The three jumped all of a sudden, they didn't seem to notice that she was awake.

"These two idiots fought Kenpachi. You where there, you saw him yield his sword." said Ikkaku.

"Yes! But I didn't expect them to actually attack!" cried Karin. Not that she thought about it much. In fact, ever since she saw Toushiro, she forgot about Ichigo.

"They could've ran away. It would have been more sensible." said Matsumoto, her sensibility getting more obvious.

Ikkaku and Yumichika looked at her as if she was a meringue talking.

"Are you kidding me, Rangiku-san?" asked Ikkaku. "Tell me you are kidding."

"Why?" asked Karin and Matsumoto, who thought that running away from a tall scary guy with an eye-patch and bells on his spiky hair, was way to sensible than to attack him.

"Running away is ugly." said Yumichika, his arms where crossed.

"In the 11th squad, when you run away, you are practically a stranger, and if our taicho finds out… He'll kick you out." said Ikkaku.

"What does that have to do with Ichi-nii and Renji-kun?" asked Karin. Yumichika looked at her.

"You should know better. Ichigo will never run away. And Renji used to be from the 11th squad."

"How should I know?"

Then suddenly there was a loud bang from the door. Ganju was standing there, when he saw Karin he went to her and gave her a loud thump on the back.

"I just came back from the 13th squad. I brought Rukia back." He said, then turned to Karin and put his arm around her.

"You got enough rest!" he boomed. Karin grinned sheepishly. "You used Hitsugaya as a pillow, ya know."

"What?!" she cried. Matsumoto giggled, and nodded.

"So romantic, little kisses are." said Ganju, his hands together, and he was batting his eye lashes.

Yumichika grunted something that sounded like,

"Even if you do that, you will never be beautiful. You can never turn a frog into a butterfly."

Ganju looked at him.

"Speak for yourself, frog." He said. Yumichika blanched.

"Why you little ugly runt!" he boomed. Karin sensed a fight so she asked a question that just came into her brain,

"Speaking of Toushiro… Where is he?" she asked, and turned to Matsumoto expectantly. The two who were still fighting stopped and looked at her too. So did Ikkaku.

"H-He's out. At a meeting." said Matsumoto. Karin blinked.

"A meeting about what?" she asked. Matsumoto blushed.

"No need to be so curious, Karin-chan." said Ganju, who knew all about it, and didn't want to spoil her afternoon.

"What is it? It's about us isn't it!" it wasn't a question. Ganju blushed too.

"I-I don't know." he said. Karin grabbed his collar and banged him on the wall. Ganju squirmed and wondered where she got the strength.

Ikkaku whispered something to Yumichika who nodded.

"Shut up with the lies! You're not very good at it, damn it!" she cried. Ganju pushed her gently, and she loosened her grip.

"If you want to know, it is about us. More for you, really. But that's all I know." said Ganju, his arms raised in surrender.

Karin let go and crossed her arms, then sat down.

For some reason, she knew all about it.

_I knew, before I got here, before. I knew that when I planned this, I would have to leave. There is not use denying something that is so obvious. _

_But why, even if I knew this would happen, did I go here? Toushiro, of course._

_I really am getting soft, it's almost stupid._

Matsumoto was looking at her anxiously.

"Karin." she said.

"No, I don't want to talk about it, Rangiku-san." said Karin. Matsumoto nodded.

"Anyway, cut the drama! What am I going to do with these asses? Im not bringing them to the 11th squad." said Ikkaku loudly, pointing with his sword Ichigo and Renji.

Yumichika wrinkled his nose, in disgust.

"We have these extra futons here." said Matsumoto, then went to the cabinet and reached for some moth eaten futons and laid it down on the floor. "Taicho won't be happy about this."

Ikkaku dragged the two by their feet and laid them none too gently, in a very awkward position.

Matsumoto reached in the cabinet again, and found some bandages.

"Madarame-kun, can you please put these on?" she asked. Ikkaku shook his head and said,

"Ive done enough."

Matsumoto handed it to Yumichika who let go as soon as it touched his hand.

"Eww. It's so dirty, and ugly!"

Karin picked it up.

"I'll do it. It's my fault anyway." said Karin, and she wrapped a bandage around the wounds.

Karin thought this was a brilliant idea to forget Toushiro for the time being.

A few minutes later, Ikkaku and Yumichika left them at it. Ganju was sleeping on the couch. Matsumoto was sitting on the table and watching Karin tend to their wounds.

Then a hell butterfly came in. Karin gasped.

"What the hell is that!" she cried.

"It's a hell butterfly. It's a shocking thing, that's why they called it Hell Butterfly, hence the name. You demonstrated it yourself, Karin." said Matsumoto, laughing a bit then turning serious as it came nearer her.

"Ive seen them before. When you came to the real world via portal, you had a black butterfly each, right?" said Karin. Matsumoto nodded.

"That is one of its many uses. Without a hell butterfly, a person cannot pass by the portal from the Soul Society. It is also used as a communication tool. But it's main use here, is to deliver urgent messages to a assigned officer, fukutaicho, or taicho." said Matsumoto.

"So right now, it's delivering a message?"

"Right. I wonder what it is. Watch this, Karin." she said, and pointed a finger out. The hell butterfly landed on her finger.

Matsumoto started speaking, as if the butterfly was talking to her in a language that she had to translate.

"Attention: The ryoka are instructed to leave Sereitei tomorrow, 12 noon. An advance guard will be there. If the ryoka resist, they are to be terminated. End of message."

Karin gasped.

"Is that true?" asked Karin.

Matsumoto nodded. Then let the butterfly go, Karin looked a little shocked. Then Karin felt her body lie down on the floor. To her shock, Matsumoto laid there too.

"What do we do?" she asked. Karin looked at her, her body going up a bit.

"We?"

"Yes we. We are friends, and friends help friends." said Matsumoto, smiling. Karin smiled back, a little sadly.

"We do nothing." said Karin, sternly.

"What?"

"We do nothing." she repeated. Matsumoto eyed her, and propped her elbows up.

"What do you mean?" asked Matsumoto. Karin sighed.

"I didn't stutter didn't I? I don't want to do anything. I'll probably just follow what that sotaicho said. I don't want to be a burden. I don't want anyone else to get hurt!"

So many people seemed to be getting hurt, just because of her.

"I don't want Toushiro to be hurt, not like what happened to Ichi-nii. Look at him!" continued Karin, and she pointed at Ichigo's unconscious body. Matsumoto sat up.

"Do you actually think, that if you leave… Hitsugaya taicho will not be hurt? I know him. Physical pain… he can handle. But mental pain… Inner pain. That's a different story." she said slowly.

"Do you know that when he left the real world to come back here… He never forgot about you. I could tell. Every single day, there was a time of the day when he seemed to be thinking about you. And im telling you, I like it when he smiles. But he also feels pain. Missing you, not being able to be with you. I know you felt that too… And do you want to feel it again, Karin?"

"Of course not! It's just that… I want him to stay here. I want him to be happy!" cried Karin, flailing her arms around like a snow angel.

"Don't be stupid, Karin. Haven't you realized that he has never been more happier when you are there?" replied Matsumoto. Karin narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"Oh yeah? Then why did he leave me in the first place? Why did he have to go to Soul Society, and leave me for 5 years, if I make him happy?! Explain that." said Karin.

"He has too!" cried Matsumoto, then she too stood up and crossed her arms around her body.

"Because it's his destiny, and I have no right to take that away from him." said Karin quietly.

"Don't think that way, Karin-chan. I know that even if he hasn't told you… He loves you." said Matsumoto, placing her hands on her arms, forcing her to face her.

"I love him too! And that's why I have to leave…" said Karin, her eyes sparkling in unshed tears. Then she gently took of her hands off her shoulders and held it with her hands. Then she hugged Matsumoto, who seemed taken aback at first, but returned the hug.

Karin smiled sadly and whispered in her hair,

"When I finally leave… Tell him that I love him, okay?" she said, "Excuse me, I want to take a walk."

Matsumoto nodded. Then Karin left, walking to the moonlight that seemed to radiate the sadness that she felt at that moment.

_Goodbye, Toushiro._

There are different types of scars. Scars like Ichigo's, those that at most time leave a mark, but sooner than you think, and with treatment, it will be gone before you know it. But there are scars like that of Matsumoto and Ichimaru, loosing each other, for the sake of their interests… It takes longer than you think.

Because time heals all scars. Scars heal in time. Even if it takes a lifetime.


	28. Sacrifice

**Chapter 27: Sacrifice**

Karin was still walking, and it felt like the not so vast 10th squad was taking forever to explore. Her feet were tired now, but she wasn't noticing the pain the least bit.

The air was cold at this time of the night, and she hugged her body. As she looked up in the sky, there was the moon. But even the moon seemed to be a sad thing to look at now. There were no stars, and that made her even sadder.

She seeked it. It was the one thing that made her feel like approval was always there. But there weren't any. Finally, she saw a patch of grass, and she decided to rest her feet a bit. She took off her socks and closed her eyes.

Even though sadness enveloped her now, it felt like there was still a ray of hope. If destiny was with her, she would still be able to see Toushiro.

Karin sighed. Finally admitting she loved someone made it a lot harder to let go, because deep inside she knew she couldn't even if she tried.

She opened her eyes and tried to smile as she remembered everything that ever happened to them… Such a simple date. How could it start something so complicated and diverse?

_Matsumoto was right, I did feel sad when he was gone… And I am not even doubting that it will happen again. I mean, all those sleepless nights, I know it's hard. But I don't want Toushiro to be sad or regretful because he had to leave Sereitei and the Gotei 13 because of me…_

_I mean, imagine the feelings that I was the one who made him do just that! And plus, Soul Society needs him. I know, that even if I haven't really seen him dictate, that he wants the power. In fact, he needs it! He feeds on it… It's the main reason he is there._

_Love takes sacrifices, and it's my turn to do so._

Karin felt a lone tear stream on her cheeks. She hated crying, and she felt guilty as soon as it left her eye. She wiped it with her sleeve and frowned.

Then she felt a presence to her side, she expected to see Toushiro standing there, but there was Ganju, his arms folded. Karin felt a rush of disappointment, she knew she would feel more often now.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped. Ganju sighed and sat down next to her.

"That's my line, you know. Why are _you _here crying?" asked Ganju. Karin said nothing. "It's about him again, isn't it?"

Karin nodded then said,

"A hell butterfly appeared a while ago." said Karin quietly, her voice not like hers. It wasn't as strong as it usually was.

"What did it say?" he asked, he noticed the change in Karin, but decided not to point it out, because she really looked depressed.

"It said that we would have to leave Sereitei tomorrow at 12 noon, and that if we don't, we will be terminated." she said tonelessly.

"I expected that." said Ganju, half-amused.

"Yeah, me too." she said, in the same voice as before.

There was silence. The cold air slapping them both in the face, but they didn't notice. Ganju turned to Karin, who was looking pale.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Karin looked up at him and gave him a fake, faint smile.

"No. Not really." she said.

"Okay." said Ganju.

Now the odd thing here was that there was more silence, and Karin was the first to break it.

"I'm leaving for him, you know." she said. Ganju looked at her, a little annoyed.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it!" he said, his eyebrow shot up. Karin smirked, then told him what she had in mind. It seemed that she poured her heart out and she couldn't help it. It was like a broken faucet, it won't stop. It was spilling out uncontrollably.

When she finally finished, Ganju replied. He was silent the whole time, nodding for a response.

"You want to leave him, right?"

Karin nodded slowly, then she closed her eyes again.

"And you don't want to get him hurt." said Ganju. Karin nodded again, her eyes closed still.

"Then we leave now." He continued. Karin's eyes shot open, and she bolted upright.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, not getting where he was getting at.

Ganju rolled his eyes at her.

"Tomorrow, when you leave he will pop out of nowhere and try to stop you, and like you said there will be guards, right? So if he tries to get you back, and the guards stop him, no doubt he will attack them to get to you… Now he will be treated like the enemy and they will attack him. And he might lose his job too, which I'm sure you don't want to happen right?" he said, his voice getting louder.

"Right. Okay, so do you have a plan, Ganju-kun?" asked Karin, just noticing now that what Ganju said was right. If Toushiro really did care, he would most definitely appear there and try to stop her leaving, and that would result to his expulsion.

"I, the self-proclaimed master of plans? Of course! Now listen to me, and follow what I say…" said Ganju, and he bent to Karin's ear, as she nodded to his plans.

**HT/KK**

_3 hours ago…_

Toushiro felt his mind burst in thinking. It was stressful alright, and what he was sure was the answer a few minutes ago, seemed to be speaking to him again.

He shouted out loud, then he spotted a small tree nearby. He sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. He needed to think this thing over, Yama-jin was right.

He sat on the side of the tree, his back resting comfortably on the tree.

_Soul Society… Karin… Soul Society… Karin…_

Both thoughts seemed to be important to him, so he decided it was best to break it down.

_Well, Soul Society has been with me since my childhood. I grew up here and this is also a very important place to me, and I know that I belong to the Gotei 13… This is my dream, ruling._

_But Karin, well, she hasn't really been in my life that long… But still…_

_I love her! She is the only woman in my life that really mattered. She broke down my barriers, those who threatened to never break down. She saw me at my worst and best, and I have made a lot of memories with her._

_Soul Society. How I remember the days when all I could think about was how to rule it and all that._

_Then Karin came along._

_Why did I even doubt my answer in the first place? Sure, Soul Society is really important. But Karin is too. And true love only comes once in a lifetime, and I'm not here to waste it._

He smiled at the thought. Why did he doubt it? He didn't know. But maybe that was because he wanted to make sure that his decision was one that he would never regret.

Then he closed his eyes, feeling the weight off it and decided to dose off first, after all, at the end of some hard thing… The best reward was a nice nap.

Then he realized he had to do it more often.

**HT/KK**

He opened his eyes. His body shot up. How long had he been sleeping? He didn't know. But it was dark now, and the moon was out.

He cursed himself and stood up and dusted his pants.

Then he ran. After all, him and Karin had a lot to talk about.

**HT/KK**

Then he finally spotted his squad, he went to his office, and spotted Matsumoto sleeping on the couch. Where was Karin? He went to his desk. But as he was walking there he stopped on something. Something odd.

He looked down and was shocked to find that he was stepping on Renji's face.

"What the HELL are you doing here?!" shouted Toushiro. Renji stood up and pointed at him.

"What the HELL are you doing on my FACE?!" boomed Renji. He looked very odd indeed. His hair was unkempt, and he had too many bandages on his body. Plus he had a foot mark on his face.

Suddenly, a Renji was on the floor. Ichigo was standing over him, his face very angry.

"Shut up! And what the HELL are you two doing in my room?!" he cried, pointing at Toushiro, who frowned at him, and was supposed to say something when Renji replied to him,

"This isn't your room Baka!" he said, his hands curled in a ball.

"Didn't stop you from making all that noise, right?" growled Ichigo.

Renji then hit him with a pillow and Ichigo emerged with a nose bleed. Then he picked up a pillow too, and wacked Renji on the head.

This caused a full force pillow fight. Toushiro stepped back, to avoid being part of it. As the two shot more insults at each other, he felt his head grow hotter. Then he snapped.

"Shut up you two or I won't hesitate to use Hyourinmaru on you both!" he muttered angrily. It wasn't loud, but the two heared what he said all the same.

They stopped and straightened up. Renji bowed down.

"I am sorry for my display, Hitsugaya taicho." said Renji. Toushiro nodded. The Renji looked expectantly at Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed and said,

"Sorry, Toushiro." He said, not even looking sorry at all.

An angry tick mark appeared on Toushiro's head.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's—" he growled.

"Yeah yeah, _Hitsugaya taicho._" said Ichigo. Then he added, "Karin calls you Toushiro."

Renji then wacked him with a pillow again. He was tired of them fighting about the same thing again, it was getting old.

Then Ichigo clenched his fist, and with one second he sent Renji flying with his pillow. Then he landed on…

Matsumoto. And not just anywhere on Matsumoto. He landed on her breasts. She stirred, but didn't wake up. Renji wasn't moving. He seemed stuck.

Ichigo started laughing silently. Then Matsumoto stirred. She awoke and stretched her arms, Renji still on her.

She looked at Ichigo and Toushiro.

"You wouldn't believe this nightmare I had… There was a man stuck on my breasts and he wouldn't get off!" she said. Ichigo burst out laughing. Toushiro slapped his head and blushed.

"What?" asked Matsumoto. Ichigo gestured to his chest and she looked down and shrieked.

She kicked Renji off, and he fell on the floor.

"What where you doing, you perv?" growled Matsumoto, looking scarier than Ikkaku, and that was saying something.

Renji spluttered.

"I-I can explain, R-Rangiku-san… You see—" he started but he couldn't explain because he narrowly missed being hit by a chair.

Matsumoto was holding a chair in her hands and she pointed it at him. Renji started running around the room, Matsumoto was chasing him. She was screaming at him, while Renji tried to explain.

Toushiro in annoyance, clutched his katana and unsheathed it. That stopped them both as they saw a glimmer in his direction.

They gulped as he descended to them. Matsumoto threw the chair to her side as if she wasn't carrying it a few seconds ago. She laughed nervously.

"I apologize for my behavior, taicho. I was just teaching him a lesson." she said, then she bowed.

"Go teach him somewhere else! And away from my furniture, thank you very much." growled Toushiro. Then he pointed his sword at Renji who whimpered.

"I too apologize. I am despicable." he said. Then he bowed for the second time.

"You better know that, Abarai, or I will strip you off your title." He said. Ichigo laughed at the background.

Renji glared at him.

"Excuse me." He told Toushiro, who nodded and watched him drag Ichigo by the collar out the door that closed with a bang.

Then Toushiro went to his table, and wiped of the dust.

"Where is she?" he asked Matsumoto, who was watching him anxiously.

"She went out for a walk, taicho." she said quietly. He turned to her sharply.

"Where?" he asked again. She shrugged.

Toushiro sighed and told her,

"I might be out for a while, go get some sleep. It's late." he said, without looking at her. Then he swept out of the office and ran out.

_Where'd she go now?_

_I swear that woman is harder to find than anyone I know._

**HT/KK**

He looked everywhere, but she was nowhere to be found. The places he thought she would be where empty. He sighed.

Where could she be? That question entered his mind for the past few hours that he searched. It was now 1 am. Could she have went back?

Her reiatsu was very faint… Could she have been attacked? As that question popped into his mind, he desired to bang his head on the wall.

He wouldn't permit such a thought to his mind. He stopped running.

_Where could she be?_

_Is it possible that she knows about it?_

Maybe. Maybe not. But there wasn't any other explanation as to where she was. Toushiro massaged his head then blinked his eyes. He was tired, but this wasn't time to give up.

He ran to the 13th squad.

When he finally got there, he banged into the office, feeling that she was there. And he was right. She was drinking tea with Ukitake.

"Hitsugaya taicho!" they explained in a different tone. Rukia's was shocked. And Ukitake was like when his favorite nephew comes to visit all of a sudden.

Toushiro tried not to ask why they were drinking tea at frikin' 1 am, because there was not time for that.

"Rukia, was there anyone who passed by the gate to Rukongai?" he asked. Rukia shrugged.

"I wouldn't know, im not on duty." she said.

Ukitake cleared his throat and Toushiro looked at him.

"I don't know how you know about that, but I assure you, that gate is very well guarded." he said.

"Why?" asked Rukia in urgency. "Is it about her?"

Toushiro nodded, then he turned back to Ukitake.

"Can I please go inspect it?" he asked. Ukitake raised the cup to his lips and sipped it.

Toushiro tried not to tap his feet in impatience or knock the cup over. Finally, he put it down and looked at him sternly,

"What is your business there?" he asked. Rukia answered for him.

"He was assigned to inspect the gates today." she said. Ukitake remained silent. So she added, "You weren't there."

Ukitake raised his head in understanding.

"I was probably in the sick bed when you were assigned, right?" he asked. Toushiro nodded, all the while looking at Rukia's innocent face. She was a deadly actress, who would've known?

"Okay. You may go with him too, Kuchiki. But don't take long, you hear?" he said.

Rukia bowed.

"Yes, sir."

They exited the room, and ran to the gate. When it was close in sight Rukia looked at him,

"Why? Is she lost or something?" she asked. Toushiro nodded.

"I can't find her. And all I could think of was that she was probably out of Sereitei!" he cried. Rukia nodded.

When they finally got to the gate, Rukia called out,

"Kuchiki Rukia." she said.

No answer. She pushed the gate open to find a sight she didn't expect.

There where unconscious guards everywhere.

"Oh no." she whispered. Toushiro bent down to check their pulses.

"They're okay. Call the 4th squad." he muttered. Now he had proof that they did leave.

"Y-Yes." she said, then she summoned a hell butterfly.

When it finally left, Toushiro stood up and ran to the path, but an arm grasped his sleeve.

"Let me go! I have to go to her! I have to tell her that—" but he stopped. Rukia sighed.

"Don't do it. Can't you see she doesn't want to be followed?" she said lowly. Toushiro glared at her.

"I don't f'ing care!" he boomed. Rukia released his sleeve.

"Don't do it." she repeated. "At least not now. Do it tomorrow, after 12 noon. And when they see that you are there, they won't suspect that you are with them. When the time comes that you are clear to move, you go to her."

Toushiro realized she was right and he wasn't happy about it.

**HT/KK**

He slumped behind his office chair. He was still in his clothes. He couldn't sleep. It was now 7 am in the morning. He rubbed his face and looked down on the paper on his desk.

He couldn't work too, he doubted he could do anything at all. His eyes were red. He didn't sleep one bit all night. All he thought off was Karin.

_Why did she leave? Without an explanation?_

_Was it because she gave up on me? Was it because she was kidnapped?_

A million question and no answers. It started to make him angry. He pushed his paperwork of the table in anger and his eyes caught an envelope.

What was it? He picked it up and saw that it was addressed to him. He didn't get mail. He never got mail, in fact.

He smelled it. And his eyes widened as he felt Karin's reiatsu on it.

He ripped it open in a rush, his hands trembling as he read her letter.

_Dear Toushiro,_

_If you are reading this, I am now at Rukongai. You are probably wondering why I left… Well, I'm going to tell you right now. I got your sotaicho hell butterfly message and I know now that I have to leave. Not tomorrow, but right now. _

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy. _

_And to do that, I will sacrifice. I love you, Toushiro. It seems uncanny that I'm saying this now… But I really do. And I know that I will never find someone else like you._

_Kurosaki Karin_

Toushiro dropped the letter on the floor. It seemed to have taken a while before it reached the floor. He dropped next to it, his hands on his face.

_Goddamn it! I have to tell her that I love her!_

_And that she is the only thing that will make me happy…_

He stood up and wiped his face with his sleeves. Fresh determination. He ran out of the door, leaving the letter forgotten on the floor.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro's sacrifice was that he wanted to quit his dream and his life so that he could be with Karin, so that he could be with her forever.

Karin's sacrifice was that she gave up her love for him, so that he could be happy, so that he could continue his dream.

Love is so complicated, and it will never be complete without a little sacrifice.

If sacrifice was what was needed, then they both hoped it would be worth it.


	29. The letter, and then some

**Chapter 28: The Letter, and then some**

Ganju leaned over to Karin and whispered,

"When I brought back Rukia-chan to the 13th squad, I spotted a gate…" he said quietly. Karin raised an eyebrow.

_Rukia, Ganju and Matsumoto where still bent over the wall when a hell butterfly appeared to them. Matsumoto caught it and after a few second's pause, she stood up and ran to the office. _

_Rukia looked over to Ganju who shrugged, as if in answer to her. Suddenly they could hear Hitsugaya shout something. Then Matsumoto went out, a little anxious._

"_What is it?" asked Rukia, worried._

"_The sotaicho is looking for Hitsugaya taicho." she replied, "I don't know what it is he wants, but I have a pretty good idea."_

"_It's about the ryoka, right?" said Rukia. Ganju coughed loudly. She hastily added, "Not that I consider you a ryoka." _

"_Yes well, I expected this." said Ganju. Then he looked up in the sky. "Im just a little worried of what Karin would do or think."_

"_Me too. I mean she has barely been here, and she has to leave." said Rukia. Matsumoto sighed._

"_I just hope taicho will do something he won't regret." she said._

"_Yeah." replied the two in unison._

_Suddenly the door burst open and Rukia dove for cover in the bushes. Ganju and Matsumoto pretended to be unknowing. Then a few seconds later Ganju gave her the clear sign._

"_I guess I better go back and check on Ukitake taicho." said Rukia. Ganju stood up._

"_I'll come with you, I have nothing better to do anyway." he said. Rukia looked pleased and nodded._

_They started walking slowly back to the 13th squad, talking about random things that seemed to just pop inside their brains. For enemies of before, they acted like best friends._

_Then they finally got there, and Rukia bid him goodbye. Ganju was about to leave, when a gate caught his eye._

"_What is that?" he asked himself. He walked cautiously to the gate and saw that it lead to Rukongai. _

_He found himself thinking that if he knew this before they wouldn't have had a hard time getting in Sereitei. He shrugged and went back to the 10th squad not thinking that this new found knowledge with have any use to him a few hours later._

"So you are sure it leads to Rukongai, then?" she said. Ganju smiled wickedly.

"No I don't." he said. Karin wacked him on the head with her shoe and he grimaced.

"Baka!" she boomed. Ganju smirked.

"You don't have a choice you know." He said. "And even if it doesn't lead to Rukongai, im pretty sure it leads somewhere outside Sereitei."

Karin scoffed and crossed her arms.

"So anyway, here is my plan." He said. "You make sure that you send your dear Toushiro a message before you leave, because that might be your last. Then you meet me at the 13th squad. It's pretty close here. And it's easy to spot because of the number thirteen sign. So we meet at the gate. If by any chance you get attacked by anyone on the way, you do this…"

He took one ball from his back and said,

"Cover your nose." He ordered. Karin did as she was told and watched as Ganju dropped it on the ground.

A red color oozed out of the ball and they waited until it cleared, which seemed like a minute. Then Ganju said,

"When inhaled, the inhaler is rendered motionless. It's not fatal, but it's enough to knock out the weaklings." he said. Then he threw to her two balls, which she almost failed to catch.

"Damned fool! You don't throw things like that at me unwarned!" she growled. Ganju smirked.

"So ill be on my way, make sure nobody catches you when you send that guy a letter." he said warningly. Karin nodded and watched as Ganju started walking away.

Karin put on her shoes quickly and ran to the office.

When she got to the door, she opened the door quietly. The door squeaked and she closed her eyes. Luckily, none of the woke up.

She threaded her way to the table and stopped when he heared a voice. Ichigo was stirring, and he mumbled something incoherent. Karin sighed with relief inwardly. She tiptoed and made sure she wouldn't step on the two.

Finally, she got to the table and she fumbled inside the table for paper. Then she found a stationary set, it looked old and it was yellow. But it had to do.

She took a pen and scribbled her letter on.

Her hands were shaking as she wrote each word, feeling her heart drop with every letter. When she finally signed her name a little slower than the others, she gripped the pen and her mouth trembled.

_Why does it have to end like this?_

The pen dropped on the floor as she kissed the letter sadly. She bent down to pick it up, her heart still heavy. Then she folded the letter and placed it in a place where she knew he would find it immediately.

Funny how ironic this was. She just got there to find someone, and now that she found him… The people around him want her to leave.

With one hand feeling the wood of the office, she closed her eyes. The feeling of him. It was here. She imagined him signing paperwork and ordering officers to get the job done here.

Too bad she couldn't see it herself.

Then she remembered that she had to hurry, Ganju was waiting. She threaded her way out of the room and ran out without looking back.

After all, it was harder to leave something of you learned to look back.

**HT/KK**

She finally got to the 13th squad, and spotted Ganju who was leaning on the wall.

"You took your time." he mumbled. Karin said nothing. She wasn't in the mood to explain what happened, and the look of Ganju said that he wasn't going to force anything out of her.

"Did you pass by any guards?" he asked. Karin showed her balls and said,

"Yeah, but I dodged them easily." she said, then stretched out for him to take them. He waved his hand.

"You keep it for the time being. We might need it soon." he said. It was obvious. If there was a gate over to a different place, no doubt there would be guards. Karin nodded and put them back to her pockets.

He gestured for her to come nearer as he peaked behind the wall. There seemed to be no one out. Karin looked around and gasped as she saw a unconscious guy on the floor, who had drool on his face.

Ganju grinned at her as he saw her look at the guy.

"He was sleeping when I got here. I knew these people where sloths." he said. Karin didn't know what to say.

Then he went forward and Karin ran after him. The run didn't take long when they saw the gate. Karin looked at it. Instantly, she felt that Ganju was right to say that this gate led to Rukongai.

"I'll be first, Karin-chan. Then when I open the door, you come forth, got that?" he said. Karin nodded.

Then Ganju put his hand out.

"Give me one of those balls, will you?"

Karin gave him one and watched as he jumped over the wall and then she heared someone gasp.

"Who are you!?" one said.

"Stupid! He's one of the ryoka!" another said.

Then a thick envelope of red smoke started moving around behind the wall. There was a few coughs. Then a few gasps. Then a thud. Followed by another, and another. It seemed to go on.

How many are there? Karin didn't know. She was just waiting. The a minute later, the gate opened, and she went in cautiously.

Several men where unconscious on the floor. Karin looked around and found Ganju sitting on the floor nearby.

"That's pretty cool. How come you didn't use it with the Soi Fon woman?" she asked. Ganju shook his head.

"Won't work with the captain class… Im sure that she could suck out the poison with her sting." he added. Karin nodded with awe.

_How much did he know about Sereitei?_

"You're probably wondering why I know these things?" he asked, as if reading her mind. She nodded.

"Me, Ichigo and some friends were here 5 years ago to save Rukia from her death penalty. Of course that's a long story." He said. Then without waiting for her to answer, he gestured for her to get moving.

They started walking on the path. There was silence. Both of them absorbed in their own thoughts.

It seemed to take forever to get to the end of the path.

"Why don't we run?" she asked. Ganju didn't look at her, but he answered,

"Why should we run?" he said. Karin felt her face grow redder.

"It's not time to play mind games! What if Toushiro catches up with us?" she boomed. Ganju still didn't look at her.

"This is the last place he'd expect us to be." He said.

"How're you sure of that?"

"Im sure because this gate looks like it was not supposed to be known." he just said. "A simple secret between the sotaicho and the 13th squad."

Karin sighed. She knew Toushiro was somewhere out there. His reiatsu was far away, and it seemed that it had been going around.

_Could he be looking for me now?_

_Has he read the letter?_

Then her stomach rumbled. Ganju finally looked at her.

"Hungry, eh? Too bad I didn't pack any food. You haven't eaten." he said. Karin grinned at him sheepishly.

"Don't worry about me. When I get back to Kenta, she will cook something for me." she said.

"Not over there, you're not. We are going to nee-san. You have to stay there for the mean time, far away from the gates as possible." he said.

Karin lived with Kenta. On coincidentally it was right in front of a gate.

"Right." she said. She didn't really care where she went. All she cared was that Toushiro be far away from her as much as possible. And that she gets to eat something.

Then she spotted a small bush with berries on it.

"Think I can eat those?" she asked Ganju as she stopped walking. Ganju shrugged.

"I wouldn't know." He said. Karin went closer to the bush and picked a berry and popped it in her mouth. Ganju's eyes widened as Karin started chocking.

Ganju patted her at the back, and the berry went out. Who would have thought a berry could be deadly, and choking hazard?

"Didn't your mom teach you not to pop unknown things in your mouth, kid?" he asked, as she panted.

She stopped panting and looked away. Ganju felt himself grow guilty.

"What is it?" he asked, for the 3rd-4th time.

"My mom died when I was four." she said quietly. Ganju looked at her.

_So… She knows the feeling of loosing someone._

_I do too…_

_And I can't imagine the feeling of having to let go._

_Poor kid._

"Sorry to hear that." he said. Karin nodded and smiled at him. He watched as she tried to hold back a few tears.

"Never mind that. It has been 14 years…" she said. Then she started walking again. Ganju followed slowly.

**HT/KK**

They continued walking the path that seemed to be endless. Finally Ganju spoke.

"I know how it feels." he said. Karin looked at him.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Ganju closed his eyes.

"Losing someone… I lost my brother." he said. Karin gritted her teeth. Where was he getting?

"How?" she finally asked after a moment of silence.

"To a shinigami… Do you remember my first title, when I first met you?" he asked, half laughing. Karin grinned a bit.

"Self- proclaimed death God hater or west Rukongai." They both said at the same time. Then followed by a little laughter.

When it subsided, Ganju turned serious again.

"I hated death gods, because a death god killed my brother…" he said.

"Do you know who did it?" she asked. Ganju gulped.

"Yes. Shiba Kaien, my brother was the lieutenant of the 13th squad." he said, then added, "Do you know who is a 13th squad?"

"Kuchiki Rukia!" she cried in shock, "Rukia-san killed him?"

"Yeah, but don't get me wrong. It was an accident really. But I was young and unforgiving before, I didn't care if it was an accident or not… I hated her." he said. "But eventually we fixed it when I went with Ichigo to save her."

He continued,

"At first, when I found out that it was her… I was reluctant. But soon after, I realized that she was sorry about it… And then I found out the real story." he said.

He looked at the sky, and told her about what happened. Karin gasped at the right places.

"Im sorry, Ganju-kun." she said. Ganju grinned at her.

"Don't mention it, brat." he said. Then there was more silence.

Even though Ganju told her the story of Kaien, she couldn't bring herself to tell him about her mother.

She didn't have to, when they finally saw light. Karin smiled brightly.

"FINALLY!" she boomed, hunger and desperation getting the better of her.

Ganju smirked as she ran forward, her now long black hair swishing in her speed. He walked in his normal pace. As he got there, he put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him, the moonlight shocking her pupils. It was dark in the woods, she just realized. He gripped her shoulders and said,

"Welcome back, Karin-chan." he said. Karin grinned as her stomach rumbled louder. They laughed as they started walking faster.

**HT/KK**

A few minutes of fast walking seemed to be good for them, because minutes later, they saw one of Ganju's boars. Karin groaned. She hated them, no matter how useful they claimed to be.

"Bonnie-chan!" shrieked Ganju, as if finding lost love after years. Karin giggled as he ran forward, ending up getting ran over by Bonnie-chan.

"Yay." she said, faking excitement.

"We'll be there in minutes now!" he boomed as he went up on her, and patted her back for her to get on.

Karin went reluctantly forward and got on the ugly pig, holding on to Ganju for dear life.

"HOLD ON!" he cried, as he kicked her on the side.

"Don't worry about that!" she screamed. Then Ganju laughed as Bonnie-chan ran fast, or as fast as her small legs can take her.


	30. Early morning sunshine

**Chapter 29: Early morning sunshine**

Karin sat on the grass. She managed to sneak out of the Shiba house for a few minutes, and she was just sitting. The early morning breeze whipping her face. It was beautiful in Soul Society. The air always seemed to be fresh, and her body felt lighter than air.

She was a soul after all. She grinned a bit as she saw a boar racing with another boar. It looked like fun, and the childhood Karin would have probably joined in, if there was a soccer ball.

Soccer. How she missed the sport. It's been a long time since she was able to play a real game. She missed her friends back at the real world. And most of all she missed her family.

Yuzu and her dad where probably sulking. She allowed herself to let out a tiny sob. Thinking about her mother Masaki was heartbreaking enough. Sure she wasn't with her family, but look at the bright side, Ichigo was here.

She sighed. Her dad probably knew she was there too. But how come he won't visit her? He was a shinigami wasn't he?

Then another thought popped in her mind. Could her mother be here? She was dead, and she ended up in Soul Society, so it was most likely she was here too!

Where could she be? She didn't know, after all, if she was really destined to find her mom, she would. Like how she was destined to find Toushiro.

She cursed. She was trying to avoid thinking about him, but then he popped again in her brain. For some reason his reiatsu was fainter than faint. He was probably really far away now.

Karin started wondering if he would ever look for her. Even though she said she didn't want him to look for her, there was still a tiny ray of hope and desire to see him again.

There were no proper goodbyes and Karin felt guilty. Maybe she should have stayed there. She shook her head. This was the right answer, and selfishness wasn't going to help her at all.

But still, it was still okay to dream, right?

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drop to the ground, her arms and legs spread out.

Dreams… Was this all a dream? A 5 year worth of a dream?

Maybe… But then again, she didn't want to wake up just yet.

**HT/KK**

The sunrise rose and illuminated Toushiro's face. It was slowly rising, and as he watched it rise, he wished he would rise with it too. That way he could find Karin easier.

She could be anywhere now, and Toushiro didn't know where to start. He jumped of the rock he was sitting on. She wasn't in Seretei, he double checked. And it would be useless to check again.

He was probably right when he said that she was at Rukongai now. Her reiatsu was far away, so far that he felt the dread of not seeing her again.

It was now 6 am. Six hours more before they actually THINK they're going to be kicking the ryoka out. The news of them leaving probably didn't reach the sotaicho yet, and he hoped it wouldn't.

Suddenly he felt the urge to kick the wall off. If he could hear everything through these walls it was impossible for him not to know.

He went back to the 10th squad, feeling exhaustion seep into his body. He was tired alright, and he had to rest if he planned to sneak out to Seretei and look for Karin for a day.

He pushed the door open and sank into the couch. How long it was since he actually done this? He couldn't remember, since he wasn't a couch potato. That was Matsumoto.

He closed his eyes, they where heavy. But then he forced them open. Lying on the floor, was Karin's letter. It was still faced up, and he could she her handwriting in the early sun. He stood up slowly and picked the letter up.

Toushiro looked at the letter again and grimaced as he read the same line over and over again.

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy. _

By leaving me, im definitely hurt…

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy._

How could she want me to stay captain, when I wanted to be with her?

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy._

If ruling Soul Society meant leaving Karin, then I don't want anything to do with it.

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy._

Did she think that she didn't make me happy enough? She makes me happy! More than happy. More than how happy I ever was ruling Seretei. How could she think that I wanted power over love? Is that doubt shining in her head?

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy._

He sniffed and his eyes caught another line.

_I love you, Toushiro. It seems uncanny that I'm saying this now… But I really do. And I know that I will never find someone else like you._

"I love you too, you idiot." he muttered. Maybe that's why she was doubting. Where three words all he needed to show her how much he cared?

**HT/KK**

Karin opened her eyes. Ganju was sitting right in front of her. He was watching her. Karin blushed and stood up, trying to fix her unruly hair. She grimaced at him.

"What do you want?" she said. She sounded grumpy, alright. Ganju stood up and went forward, then he looked back at her his eyebrows cocked up.

"Oh, I don't know, I was just wondering if you wanted to eat breakfast. Then I found you here! You practically ran away, little miss. Now im assuming you don't want breakfast." he said. Then Karin stood up quickly, running after Ganju who was laughing like a maniac.

"DAMN YOU!" boomed Karin and she took one shoe from her feet and threw it right to the back of his head, but she missed.

Ganju looked at her, his face full of fury.

"I was kidding, baka!" he shouted at her. Karin wasn't listening and she took one of those huge stones from the ground and threw it with all her might at him.

This time it was a perfect hit. He fell down on the floor and he groaned. Karin stepped over him and walked 'gracefully' back to the house. Then she looked at him her hands on her hips.

"Nobody gets between me and breakfast. Got that?" she said. Ganju looked up, his head had a huge lump on it, and he looked like an idiot.

"Yes'm" he muttered.

Karin giggled innocently and trotted inside the house. Ganju followed slowly, his face frowning like a baby.

They didn't know someone was watching them from afar, her face in a gape as if she hasn't seen anything like it before.

Her hair was blond and wavy, up to her shoulders. She was a beautiful woman, and she resembled Karin now that she is a teenager.

This woman was Kurosaki Masaki.

In her hands was a basket filled with fruits, and her eyes were wide.

"Could that be…?" she asked herself. Then she shook her head. "No, my daughters will be 15 by now. Too young to die, really."

She turned and walked on.

**HT/KK**

Matsumoto finally entered the office slowly. She looked over at the couch to find Toushiro slouched on the chair, he looked like he didn't have any sleep at all. She tsked and sat next to him.

"Taicho?" she said gently. He didn't budge. He wasn't dead wasn't he? She asked herself. But he was breathing. She shook him by the shoulders and he opened his eyes with a groan.

"Taicho?" she repeated. Toushiro bolted upright, his hands already revealing his sword. Matsumoto jumped back, her hands in surrender.

"Ah, Matsumoto." muttered Toushiro. "What time is it?"

"It's 9am, taicho. Have you eaten?" she asked. Toushiro shook his head. In fact, he hasn't eaten even once since yesterday, he didn't notice. Suddenly he felt a little hungry.

She shook her head too, even if he didn't ask her.

"There will be breakfast soon." said Matsumoto. Toushiro didn't answer. "Are you okay, taicho? It looks like you haven't gotten any sleep."

"Ive been looking for Karin the whole night. You wouldn't know anything, now would you?" he asked, a little hope sparking in his face for a second. That didn't go unnoticed by Matsumoto, though.

"I-I…" she said. She knew stuff alright. She knew she planned to leave him, but she didn't want to tell him that.

Toushiro eyed her then growled,

"Matsumoto."

She looked at him guiltily. His sharp gaze made her blush. Not good.

"Uh… When Karin and I talked the other night, she did mention leaving…" she said quietly. Toushiro's face burned angrily.

"And?" he said, his teeth gritting as he talked.

"Don't get me wrong! I didn't think she would be leaving today." she cried quickly.

"You didn't tell me this… WHY?" he asked, his voice getting louder with every word.

Matsumoto laughed nervously.

"Yeah, well… I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news." she said guiltily, not looking at him. Toushiro crossed his arms.

"What else is there?" he asked.

"Nothing e-else." she replied quietly. Toushiro sighed then exited the room, his cape moving bat-like.

Matsumoto stirred. There was something else… But she couldn't put her mind in it.

Then his cape dissolved out the door, she remembered suddenly…

"_I love him too! And that's why I have to leave…" said Karin, her eyes sparkling in unshed tears. Then she gently took of her hands off her shoulders and held it with her hands. Then she hugged Matsumoto, who seemed taken aback at first, but returned the hug._

_Karin smiled sadly and whispered in her hair,_

"_When I finally leave… Tell him that I love him, okay?" she said, "Excuse me, I want to take a walk."_

She stormed out of the room, and Toushiro looked back at her alarmed.

"She also asked me to tell you that she loved you… And the reason why she left was because she did!" she said loudly.

Toushiro bowed his head for a moment and looked up at her.

"I know." he said, then he turned back.

"You k-know?" she asked quietly. Toushiro didn't answer or look back, and he continued walking off. Matsumoto sighed.

She hated seeing him like this.

**HT/KK**

Karin stuffed her face. She was hungry, so hungry that Kuukaku and Ganju was looking at her funnily. Kuukaku smirked and said,

"They didn't feed you there, I can tell." she said, after she finished chewing a piece of meat. Karin nodded, her face full of food, and her mouth traced with rice.

Ganju smiled inwardly.

_It's good that she's smiling and happy again, even if it's only temporary._

_Really, this girl is taking a toll on me._

For him, she was like a sister now. He never really experienced caring for a kid before. He did, but that was Ichigo and the others. This was different. She was so un-experienced. She was helpless. Though she was powerful, she didn't have enough power to make her as tough as her brother.

He liked her that way. He liked being older and tougher than her. It made him feel helpful, unlike what his nee-san made him feel.

He picked a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. He was lucky, he didn't seem to make her angry this time. In fact, when he got home, his nee-san was smiling at him.

"_You were useful this time, good." she said. Ganju smiled. But she didn't look that impressed._

_Honestly, nothing can impress that woman._

**HT/KK**

Karin laughed at something Kuukaku said, and they were both looking at him. Ganju scrunched his face.

"What?" he asked annoyed.

Karin laughed again. It felt good to laugh, she agreed to this.

The simple things. It made her laugh. Maybe because compared to her current situation, it was fantastic that she felt a little peace now.

It was great just sitting there. Eating breakfast and laughing about Ganju's childhood. It was 9am. Three hours until they open the gate.

Is it only three hours until she sees him again.

There goes the dreamer.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro walked to the 13th squad, ready to get moving. It was 10am. So close. He growled angrily however when he saw Ichigo and Renji arguing again about something there. Rukia was right in front of them, she too looked angry to be disturbed that early in the morning.

He came to them, Renji and Ichigo stopped fighting. Rukia turned around and smiled at him.

"Ohayo, Hitsugaya taicho!" she chirped. Her eyes however seemed worried.

Toushiro grunted and cast a sideway glance at the camouflaged gate. Renji and Ichigo looked at each other as they saw him looking at him.

"So, you plan on leaving too?" asked Ichigo. Toushiro looked at him sharply.

"How did you…?"

"She's my sister, baka! When I found out from Rukia here that she left, I forced it out of her." he said. Toushiro looked at her angrily and she shrugged.

"He's pretty good at persuading." she muttered. Toushiro looked at Renji.

"I'm coming too, of course. There isn't much to do here." he said. Toushiro glared at him.

"I'm not permitting you to go, Abarai. Kuchiki taicho will kill you when he finds out." He said. Renji flushed.

"Damn. You're right." he muttered. Ichigo smirked at him.

"Told ya." he said. Then laughed. Rukia rolled her eyes.

"I'm not allowing you to go, Kurosaki." said Toushiro, demandingly. Ichigo stood up, towering his frame.

Toushiro smirked at his attempt to overpower him.

"You can't do that! It's my choice!" he boomed.

"Oh yeah? Shinigami Representative?" said Toushiro then added, "As you might notice, your rank is below captain level."

"Im still going, I want to see her, I don't really care about my rank, TOUSHIRO." said Ichigo. Toushiro blanched. "Plus, that's what you want too, right?"

Toushiro remained silent. He was right. Therefore, he had no choice.

"Im coming, whatever you say." said Ichigo crossing his arms. Toushiro sighed heavily.

"Fine. But you will follow my plan, got that?" he demanded. Ichigo smirked.

He ruffled his hair, which made Toushiro angrier.

"Whatever you say." He repeated.

Rukia clapped her hands together and said,

"Good. Now, you both have to be present at the gate later. You to Renji." she added. Renji nodded angrily.

She continued,

"Then after the ceremony, we meet up at the 10th squad office, so we plan."

"How about me?" asked Renji, his face in a pout. Ichigo scrunched his face in disgust.

"You stay at the 6th squad. And keep your big mouth shut. Don't talk about it too. Nii-sama has sharp ears." said Rukia.

Toushiro watched as Renji and Ichigo started arguing again about why he can't come. His stomach grumbled. Rukia heared it and she smiled at him.

"Breakfast?" she asked. Toushiro blushed. Was it that LOUD?

"Yes please." he said sheepishly. Rukia giggled and motioned for him to follow her to the 13th squad office. "Wait a minute. Won't Ukitake taicho be there?"

"No. He wakes up 11 am." she said, reassuringly. Toushiro nodded.

He was hungry alright. As Rukia shoved at him some food from the breakfast tray, he ate as much as he could, be remained his posture, after all it was disgraceful for a taicho to eat like a pig.

Wait a minute…

Wasn't he going to give up his job for Karin?

He smiled inwardly and shoved the fried fish in his mouth, and stuffed his face with steamed rice. Rukia gaped at him.

"That hungry, huh?" she giggled. Toushiro ignored her, as he savored eating in a way he never did in years.

The last time he did this was when he was a kid with melons.

But then again, what follows was a tummy ache.


	31. It's not Hitsugaya taicho

**Chapter 30: It's not Hitsugaya taicho**

There was silence as the people of the Gotei 13 waited. They were in front of the West gate. They gathered a few moments ago, still waiting.

A few captains attended. And these where Yama-jin (Of course!), Soi Fon, Byakuya, and Kenpachi. They had their lieutenants with them. Plus, 11th squad Madarame and Yumichika attended too. Also did Rukia, but Toushiro didn't understand why she was there when she told him over breakfast that she will stay at the gate and guard it for them.

But what was she doing there? Without a taicho too. Ichigo was standing next to her, and she was whispering something to his ear, and he was nodding. His face looked serious.

Toushiro planted his feet to the ground to prevent him for letting his curiosity get the best of him… At least not yet.

The advance guard was standing next to the gate, and there was still silence. Toushiro felt a drop of sweat trickle down his forehead. Matsumoto looked nervous too, since Toushiro told her about his plan a few minutes while they were walking to the gate.

Renji looked pissed, but Byakuya didn't notice. Or did he? Toushiro couldn't tell. But his eyes were closed, and it looked like he knew that they where up to something.

The sotaicho remained silent, and Soi Fon, who was standing right next to him and Choujiro, had her arms crossed, and she was staring into the gate.

Kenpachi and Yachiru where looking at Ichigo, who was now glaring back at him. His eyes where averting from him to Renji, who was also glaring.

_Those two don't know how to quit. _

"They're taking their time, aren't they?" commented Ikkaku, finally breaking the silence that threatened to turn icier than ever.

"It's so not beautiful to be late." said Yumichika.

Yama-jin didn't budge, but he had a deep frown on his aged face.

"If in 5 minutes they do not arrive, we take measures." He said. Byakuya smirked.

"I doubt they will come, sotaicho." said Byakuya. His eyes were still closed. Renji looked at him, a little shocked.

"Why is that, Kuchiki taicho?" asked Yama-jin, Soi Fon stopped looking at the gate and stared at him, her eyes narrowed.

Toushiro felt his insides freeze. What if he DID know?

"They would have a plan now would they." said Byakuya, now his eyes where open, but they looked superior.

Toushiro sighed inwardly. At least he didn't have the complete idea, now. Matsumoto, Ichigo, Renji and Rukia looked relieved.

There was more silence. The comments that dared slip out of their mouths where held. The minutes passed slowly in silence.

Then there was 4 minutes. Toushiro was counting in his mind, and with the looks of the others, they were too.

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Right on the dot, Yama-jin raised his crane and banged it on the ground. His eyes where opened, and the others were looking at him. Toushiro wiped his sweat from his forehead. It wasn't hot, but he was more nervous than ever.

"Please seal the gate." he said. The guards nodded and did their kidou on the gate. Everyone watched the process. Toushiro wondered what he planned to do now.

"Will they be…?" asked Soi Fon quietly. Yama-jin banged his crane again and said in a raspy, angry voice that was signaling a demand,

"Look for them here at Seretei, when they are found, execute them immediately. Do not hesitate. Report to me as soon as possible, I want the reports regularly. And by any chance they are found to have left Seretei, anyone found looking or following them will be stripped of their title. Understood?" he growled.

There was a chorus of 'yes' and 'yes, sir'. Toushiro clenched his fists. But doubt didn't cross his mind. His heart was still craving to go to Karin, and if it meant losing his title, he didn't care a bit.

He could feel a couple of stares, but still he didn't care. The people where leaving, and he was dragging his feet. Matsumoto was following him, her silence new to him… But he didn't care.

Rukia and Ichigo where running to him, but he didn't care. Yes he did. He had to ask her why she was there. He stopped walking and waited for them to catch up. Matsumoto was looking at the sky, her eyes foggy.

"Matsumoto." said Toushiro. She looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Taicho." she croaked. She sniffed and hugged him all of a sudden, that Toushiro almost lost his balance. He didn't know what to do, so he patted her on the back. He wasn't sure of what to say to her either.

Her breasts where smothering him. But he didn't seem to notice. She was sobbing into him, and he felt a wet patch on his robe. He continued patting her. Then she muttered something on him. But it was so muffled, he couldn't understand.

"Repeat that, please?" he said. He was still hesitant.

She sniffed and repeated,

"Do you have to leave?" she said. Then she chocked. Toushiro laughed a bit and pushed her off gently.

"You know I have to…" he said gently. It was the first time she heard her taicho speak like that to her, and it was a real shock that she knew his intentions where real and pure to the heart.

"T-Thank you." she muttered, her face blushing. It was embarrassing, displaying that much emotion publicly. Luckily nobody seemed to be around, only Rukia and Ichigo who were watching closely.

"Don't say that… I should say thank you myself, after all you were under me for quite a long time." he said with a tiny smile.

"Taicho…" she whispered. Toushiro shook his head.

"You may call me Toushiro now… Even though I haven't exactly lost my job yet, you should get used to it as early as now." he said. Then added out of amusement, "Rangiku-san."

Matsumoto giggled nervously. It was odd to hear her name being said by Toushiro.

"Yes, Hitsugaya taicho." she said. Then gasped and hurriedly muttered, "Toushiro."

"Get used to it." growled Toushiro. She was being annoying as usual. Some things never change.

Rukia giggled and grabbed Toushiro by the sleeve. Toushiro roughly shook her off.

"What are you doing, Kuchiki?" he burst. Rukia laughed. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, since you're not a taicho now, I think I can treat you like a normal human being… Eh, _Toushiro_?" she said mockingly. Toushiro glared at her.

"Impertinent little…" he muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me, what was that, _Toushiro?_" asked Ichigo, his eyebrows raised too. Matsumoto giggled in the background.

"It's…" he started, but Matsumoto grabbed his mouth and kissed him on the forehead.

"You are such a hard head!" she cried and giggled. Toushiro felt his face burn in embarrassment.

The three started laughing. And then Toushiro joined in. It felt good to laugh… Matsumoto grinned inwardly.

_I could get used to this_

"Maybe we should get moving." said Rukia, after the last moments of laughter subsided. Ichigo nodded then clutched his hilt. He was ready.

Was Toushiro ready? Toushiro gulped and wondered about that himself.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked over at Rukia as they walked to the 13th squad. They could have ran, but it would have looked suspicious. After all, it was suspicious enough to see Toushiro hanging out with two VERY different people.

They have passed by a couple of shinigami on their way, luckily there were no captains. They probably left their jobs to their squad, he thought. What a waste of power.

"Rukia, why are you here, anyway? Didn't you tell me yesterday that you would stay at your squad to guard the gate?" he asked her. She stopped walking then cursed.

"Damn! You should have asked me earlier. I knew I was missing telling you something." she muttered then said loudly,

"Ukitake would be checking the gate more often now. He's turning suspicious as to why _you_ even know about the gate. And he's pretty worried about the incident. The 4th squad talked to him about it. So now, it would be harder to get past him now that he has a pretty good idea that something is up."

"Goddamn it, Rukia! You should have said earlier, we could have planned!" boomed Ichigo grabbing his orange hair and gritting his teeth.

"Calm down, you idiot." said Toushiro, his forehead ruffled deep in concentration. Rukia and Ichigo looked at him.

There was silence, no one was moving. Rukia then snapped her fingers and took out her notebook. Wait, where did that come from? And where did those markers come from too?!

She started doodling ferociously on the notebook. Ichigo groaned, he knew what was up. And he didn't like it. Toushiro looked over at her curiously. Then she showed her 'masterpiece' to them.

"This is our plan! Now, you have two choices." she said. Then she pointed her fingers on the drawings corresponding to the words that poured out of her excited mouth. "One, you either have to fight Ukitake taicho to get pass the gate. Or two, you wait for night to come, so that you wouldn't have to fight him at all!"

Ichigo glared at the picture.

"I have a question." He said. Rukia looked over at him, a goofy smile on her face.

"Why are your drawings so horrible?" he asked tonelessly. Rukia threw at him the notebook, and he fell back his nose bleeding.

"CHAPPY IS NOT HORRIBLE!" she screamed. Toushiro bit his lips. Those two choices. There was a more sensible one. But he wouldn't take it.

"Im fighting." He said, staring at the notebook on the floor. Rukia stopped hitting Ichigo on the head, and they both looked at him.

"WHAT?" they asked at the same time.

"I'm not waiting for nighttime. It would be harder to look for her then. I have to go now. The earlier the better." he said seriously. Rukia sighed.

"You'd be horribly battered by then. How are you going to look for her if you're hurt?" she asked. Ichigo smirked.

"Can't you see he is serious, Rukia?" he asked. Rukia blushed.

"Yes, but…"

"Then shut your mouth and let me tell you** MY** plan." He said. His arms were crossed. The two looked at him, a little shocked.

Since when did Ichigo have a plan? They couldn't remember. All they knew was that he was reckless. Kind of reminds Toushiro of Karin.

"Okay." said Toushiro. "If you have a seriously good plan that will save me from dramatic injuries by Ukitake's twin zanpakuto, then im waiting."

Ichigo stated his plan. Rukia and Toushiro sat down on the ground, making sure that they were comfortable.

It looked like he was going to be explaining something longer than long.

**HT/KK**

Ukitake went out of the office. There seemed to be a presence near the gate. He sensed it. He walked slowly and cautiously to the gate. He wasn't sick that day, but he felt slightly dizzy.

Why did he have to be such a sickly person? The question popped into his brain. Ukitake shook his head and chuckled inwardly. He swept beside the gate.

Suddenly he jumped. Rukia popped out of the nearby bush and started sobbing.

"Kuchiki?" he started. Rukia fell to the ground her face strained with tears.

"Oh! Taicho… I didn't see you." she said. Ukitake stepped next to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up innocently and said,

"Im sorry." she said quietly. She wiped her face with her sleeve and Ukitake felt his heart break a bit as he watched her cry even more.

"What's going on?" he asked. Rukia whimpered.

"I just found out that the ryoka have been ordered to be executed…" she said. Her words slurred. Ukitake gasped.

"Why? Aren't they supposed to be at the western gate?" he asked her. Rukia sobbed louder. Ukitake grimaced as she fell to his feet.

"They didn't appear! So now… Now, the sotaicho wants them to be dead!! I-I can't… I can't let them _d-dieeeeee_!" she burst. Her tears now flowing like a stream. Ukitake picked her up and dusted her shoulders.

"Calm down, Kuchiki. I'm sure they are still alive." He said. Rukia looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Taicho… Can you _please _help me find them?" she asked slowly and carefully. Ukitake's eyes widened as she came nearer and nearer her face tear strained and her eyes connecting to his.

"I-I…" he stuttered. What was she doing?

"_Please_… Ukitake taicho?" she breathed to his ear. Ukitake shivered. Rukia smiled in her head.

"Okay… But can you please get off me?" he added. Rukia had her hands on his hips. And his face was in a pure blush. Rukia smiled innocently at him.

"Thank you." she said, then she wiped her tears with her sleeve again. Ukitake smiled at her then fumbled in his pocket for a hanky.

He gave it to her. Then she wiped it gently on her face.

"You keep it." he muttered as she handed it back to him.

"Thank you, taicho!" she chirped cheerfully. Then they left to 'look' for the 'ryoka'. Ukitake then sealed a barrier on the gate. Then they both left. Rukia looked over at the bushes. She seemed to be looking for something… Or was it someone?

**HT/KK**

In a bush nearby, Ichigo and Toushiro had their mouths opened wide. As she passed by to them she winked at them discreetly and gestured for them to get going.

They both nodded, quietly agreeing that indeed, Rukia was a seriously scary actress it was almost dirty. Who would have thought seducing a taicho helped?

Toushiro and Ichigo bustled out of the bush careful not to be too noisy. They threaded their way to the gate. Toushiro cursed. And so did Ichigo.

"Damn it, I should have known he'd put a barrier on it." said Ichigo. Toushiro nodded.

"Yeah, you should've." he muttered.

"I didn't see you thinking about it!" he burst. Toushiro glared at him and fumbled in his pocket. There was a spirit ball in it. Ichigo's eyes widened.

"Where the HELL did you get that!? That's—" he burst. Toushiro punched him on the head.

"Be quiet, you damned fool. And yes, this is a spirit ball. I found it lying on the floor once when I was looking for Karin. I didn't know what it was at first, but then I figured it was how they got passed the barriers." he said then added with a smirk, "That's how you and the others got in too, I bet."

"That's right! You taicho didn't figure it out soon enough." he said, his face in a wide grin.

Toushiro rolled his eyes and put both hands on the ball. Ichigo went nearer him, and he nodded. Toushiro transferred his spirit power in it and said,

"Let's go!" then they walked forward, got pass the barrier and pushed the gate open.

Toushiro let go of the ball and ran forward. Ichigo, who was running next to him said,

"You know, I could have done that." he said.

"You, Kurosaki Ichigo? You don't have enough power to over shadow me." said Toushiro then added, "Former taicho of the Gotei 13… While you, a mere human, will never beat me."

"Oh yeah? Better not let Karin hear that." growled Ichigo.

Toushiro grinned.

"I wont." he said. Ichigo grinned back angrily.

Then they both sped up faster than they ever did.


	32. Heartbreak was never easy

**Chapter 30: Heartbreak was never easy**

Karin sighed. It was twelve o'clock, and the feeling of dread was pushing into her mind again. What was with her? Didn't she want to see Toushiro?

Ganju knocked on her door loudly. She was sitting in a well furnished room, and this was their guest room. She looked over at the door and sighed again.

"What is it?" she boomed loudly. Her voice was toneless, and it was obvious she wasn't in the mood to talk. Ganju shouted back,

"I'm asking if you want some lunch?" he asked.

Karin pulled her knees to her chest and her voice came out muffled as she buried her head on it.

"No, I don't want to eat." she said. Ganju rolled his eyes and banged again on the door,

"Don't be an idiot, Karin-chan! Im sure our plan would work, now come out already!" he cried.

"No!" she called out still muffled. Ganju heaved his chest and pushed the door with a bang. Karin pulled her head up, her face red. Ganju glared at her and dragged her by the feet. Karin yelled and tried to kick him off. Ganju lost his patience and placed Karin over his shoulder. She started bawling.

"You are so mean! Can't you see that I'm—" she started. Ganju looked at her and delivered a huge smack on her butt.

"Oww!"

"You are going to eat dinner, or I will hit you harder!" he shouted. Karin sniffled loudly.

"It's bad to hit women." she said angrily. Ganju smirked.

"But the way you are acting, you are not a woman." he retorted back. Karin flushed and remained silent as Ganju led them down the stairs to the dining area.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro and Ichigo sped faster and faster. Toushiro was losing alright, mainly because he was kind of small. And it was an unspoken rule that you must never use shunpo. Ichigo smirked as Toushiro lagged back. He glared at Ichigo and tried to regain speed.

When he finally caught up, Ichigo looked over at him,

"This path is long, do you know how much longer it is?" he asked. Toushiro stopped as Ichigo stopped.

He ruffled his forehead and looked straight at the path.

"Looks like it's going to take longer." He simply said. Ichigo groaned.

"This is bad. I'm exhausted. How the HELL are we going to find Karin?" he said. Toushiro glared at him.

"It doesn't really matter now. If im tired, im still looking. You can stay here if you want, Kurosaki. Im going further." he said quietly, then started walking.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and walked next to him.

"You're a real pain, you know that, kid?" said Ichigo. Toushiro looked at him.

"I am not a child." He replied back.

"Don't you think it's a little to forward to think that I wouldn't want to look for my sister, just because I'm tired?" asked Ichigo. Toushiro remained silent for a second.

"I guess so." he said. Ichigo smirked again.

The silence was turning icier. Ichigo and Toushiro don't seem to get along that well.

"You know… I don't get it." said Ichigo. Toushiro looked at him.

"What don't you get?" he asked. Ichigo sighed.

"Do you love my sister?" he replied. Toushiro felt his eyes widen.

Then Toushiro closed his eyes. Ichigo looked at him expectantly, feeling a smile spread to his face.

"Yeah." He said quietly. Ichigo raised his hands to his head, and breathed air.

"Im not one to argue with that." said Ichigo. "I give you my blessing."

Toushiro felt his face grow red.

"What?! I wasn't asking for your blessings." He screamed. A couple of birds were sent to flight. Ichigo glared at him.

"Be thankful, you idiot. At least now you wouldn't need you're damned zanpakuto everytime you come face to face with me." chimed Ichigo. Toushiro glared back and crossed his arms.

"I guess so." he said again.

**HT/KK**

Finally, there was light glaring at their faces. The sun was peaking forward, and they resisted the temptation of throwing themselves forward.

Walking slowly had its disadvantages. But at least they still had their energy.

"Finally, goddamnit." muttered Ichigo kicking the next tree in sight. Then he screeched in pain and sealed his eyes from the sun. "Aghh! It burns!!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes.

"Over-acting little—" he said quietly. Ichigo was still shielding his eyes, didn't hear him.

"Wait. This place is familiar." said Ichigo loudly. Toushiro practically jumped in enthusiasm.

"Where are we? Do you think she could be here?" he cried. Ichigo smirked.

"Well, as much as I think I remember… This place is pretty close to the Shiba house." he said. Toushiro smiled in the heavens.

"Let's go there." he said.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, and led the way.

**HT/KK**

Karin sat still on her bed. She just finished eating, and right after, she went into her room immediately. Luckily, Kuukaku didn't tell her off for being rude. She probably understood.

She sat there, looking out the window, The strong breeze on her face. It was refreshing, but it was mixed with something else now.

As she sat there for what seemed like hours, she felt something that made her eyes widen like balls.

_Ichi-nii… and Toushiro?_

She shook her head. That was impossible, she thought. But still… It felt so close. She craned her neck out the window, as if expecting to see them pop out of nowhere.

Karin closed her eyes. The closeness, it was punching her stomach, and tugging her heartstrings. Why did it have to hurt so much, thinking about him? She wanted to know. Was love supposed to be a painful thing, that you couldn't bear it?

The doubt. It was still there. She hated doubt… She felt it for 5 years, and she hated the fact that she had to do it again. It was distressful, especially after seeing Toushiro.

She warmed her hands by blowing on it. It was warm… It was comfortable. Maybe that was what she was seeking… A little feeling of warmth… From Toushiro.

Now she was doubting her choice. Was it the right thing to leave him… Just like that? Without the say in the matter, at that.

No she shouldn't be selfish. She was being selfish. That was horrible. She opened her eyes, the spirit of Toushiro still shinning on it.

Or maybe that was tears… Either way, it fell on her lap… Drenching that tiny part in her heart.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sneezed. Ichigo stared at him, then laughed.

"I didn't think taicho like you sneeze!" he said, his words slurred from the laughter. Toushiro glared as he wiped his nose.

"Believe me, you don't know much about me yet." said Tosuhiro. Ichigo stopped laughing and slapped Toushiro on the back, which caused him to lose balance.

"We've got time!" said Ichigo jovially. Toushiro smirked.

"I love watermelons." he said. Ichigo's eye twitched.

"Watermelons." repeated Ichigo, slowly. Toushiro laughed inwardly at Ichigo's expression.

"That's right." he said. Ichigo felt his jaw drop as he imagined Toushiro eating watermelons like a rabid animal.

Then they both laughed at the same time.

**HT/KK**

"I don't understand. You mean that you used to be beaten by a girl named, Tatsuki?" said Toushiro, amused. So the great shinigami representative has his quirks and failures.

"Shut up. I was a kid back then!" replied Ichigo slightly pink. "My mother was the only one who understood."

"You're mother is dead, right?" asked Toushiro quietly. Ichigo sniffed, then nodded up in the sky. "Then she should be here."

"What?"

"Every dead human goes to Soul Society, no matter how horrible their death." said Toushiro. Ichigo looked over at him.

"And you think that I can find her here." said Ichigo slowly. Toushiro crossed his arms.

"If you were meant to find her… Yes." said Toushiro, he found Karin… It was a chance that Ichigo would find his mother.

"Right."

**HT/KK**

Karin was lying on her bed, the pillow on her face. She stopped crying after a tear dropped, and she didn't plan to cry again.

Why did she pretend to be tough, when deep inside she wasn't as tough as people expected her to be. Sure, she could kick butt and beat everyone in the soccer field, but deep down… She had her 4 year old self, still buried inside.

The burden… It was always there.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo sat on the ground, his feet tired. Toushiro looked at him.

"Tired already, Kurosaki?" asked Toushiro. He too was tired.

"Yeah." He admitted. Toushiro sat down next to him.

"Me too." said Toushiro. Ichigo looked at him.

"Whatever happened to 'im going further'?" asked Ichigo, as Toushiro breathed in the air.

"We can't do that now, if we are tired, right?" he replied back. Ichigo smirked.

"There goes the taicho sensibility." he said. Toushiro allowed himself a small smile.

Ichigo wasn't a bad companion after all.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro opened his eyes. They both seemed to have fallen asleep. Darkness was already coming, and he watched for a minute as the sun bid goodbye. Ichigo was snoring.

Was he actually that tired? He asked himself.

He stood up and dusted his robes. Then he nudged Ichigo with his foot. Ichigo groaned.

"3 more minutes." he muttered. Toushiro snorted then proceeded to deliver another kick. This time with much more impact than before.

Ichigo stood up all of a sudden, his zanpakuto shining in his hands, his face poised. Then he realized it was only Toushiro.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Toushiro rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, before we have a harder time looking for Karin." he said. Ichigo looked around and realized he wasn't in his room.

"O-Okay." He replied, embarrassed. He put his sword back, and walked forward.

The sun was almost down.

**HT/KK**

Karin cursed. She leapt out of the bed and threw the pillow on the wall. She ran out of the door and immediately knocked on Ganju's door.

No answer. Karin was getting impatient.

"GANJU!" she boomed. There was loud thump and a groan.

"Karin?" he called out. Then she heared him curse loudly, then the door opened. Ganju had messy hair, and his face looked red, as if he came out of a dream.

"What?" he said irritably. Karin sighed.

"Toushiro… and Ichi-nii! They're coming." she said quickly. Ganju spluttered.

"W-What?" he asked. Karin practically screamed,

"They're coming!"

Ganju cursed again, this time it was a whole lot. He fumbled out of the room and dragged Karin back out the door.

"How'd you know?" he asked. Karin closed her eyes.

"I can feel them." she said quietly. Ganju nodded. Then he picked Karin up and put her on his back.

"What the--!" she cried.

"We are going to you're old place. And I don't want you slowing us down!" he cried. Karin sighed, the nodded.

**HT/KK**

"What?" asked Ichigo. Toushiro stopped all of a sudden.

"I felt their reiatsu a moment ago." he said. Ichigo frowned.

"Let's go!" he said loudly. Toushiro nodded.

Somehow, he knew that they weren't there anymore, that they were on the move. But he had to make sure…

Ichigo looked over at him, because he didn't move an inch.

"_Oi_! Do you wanna see my sister or what?!" cried Ichigo, waving his hand in front of Toushiro's face. Toushiro grimaced.

"I have this uneasy feeling that they're not over there." said Toushiro. They were on the move. Even though it seemed like only a second, he knew that they weren't where they were the second before.

"There's no point going around looking for them, if you don't know where they are, right? We might as well go to Kuukaku to ask if she knows anything." said Ichigo. Toushiro sighed.

You know things are wrong, when he starts making sense.

Ichigo smirked at the look on his face then moved forward. Toushiro followed, his head aching with thoughts.

**HT/KK**

Pant… Puff. Pant… Puff!

Ganju was panting and puffing everywhere. He was tired, but there wasn't any time to stop, they were close to Karin's old place with Kenta. Suddenly, he spotted the huge gate, shining in its glory. Karin gasped and held on tighter to Ganju.

"There it is! The old hut over there!" she burst. Ganju nodded, his face purple. Then he gasped,

"Let go of me, you damned fool! I can't breathe!"

Karin giggled nervously. Ganju clutched on to her, then ran faster to the small hut. When they finally got there, Ganju dropped Karin on the ground.

"Ow! You could've done that gentler ya know!" she shouted. Ganju shrugged then was about to knock on the door when it opened.

Kenta was peaking her head out, her hair slightly messy. It looked like they had woken her up. She gritted her teeth, her eyes still closed and burst,

"What the f are you doing? Get out of my porch you little—" she started. Then she opened her eyes, and saw Karin was on the ground, her eyes wide in shock, and her face blushing.

"H-Hey." greeted Karin, with a tiny wave. Ganju's eyes twitched. Kenta was looking at her, then she raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doin' on the ground, kid?" she asked, her eyes full of amusement. Ganju laughed silently. Kenta glared at him and raised her fists on his face.

"What so funny, old dude?" she said, her voice deadly. Ganju stopped laughing.

"It's kinda funny that you're calling her a kid, when you look like a ki—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Ganju was already on the ground next to Karin, a huge boulder-like bump on his head.

"What did you do that for!?" he cried, rubbing his head. Kenta smirked.

"Never call me a child, especially if you compare me with _her_!" she said angrily. Karin sniffed angrily.

"Hey, don't put me in your fight, Kenta." she said. Kenta looked at her, then gestured for her to stand up. Karin did as she was told.

"What are you doin' here?" she asked. Karin looked around her, then pushed Kenta and Ganju gently inside the hut.

When they finally clammed up, Karin looked at her.

"I had to leave early." she said quietly. Kenta raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks for stating the obvious. Now, tell me WHY." she said stoically.

Karin looked over at Ganju, who looked back and nodded. Then they told her all about it. All the while, Kenta was quiet. It was unusual of her, because she was naturally talkative.

"So, that's why I left. I really don't want to be selfish, Kenta-chan." she said, in a quiet voice. Kenta looked out the window, a frown on her face.

"Karin…" she said. Karin looked up at her. She was still looking out the window.

"What is it…?" asked Karin. Kenta looked at her, the shade of the moon illuminating her young face.

"If real love was with you, I wouldn't doubt that whatever happens… You will see each other again." she said. Ganju blinked.

_This woman is seriously… Deep._

"I know that." said Karin… Then she looked on her feet. Tears again… They were her deepest fear. "I just want him to continue being a captain."

Kenta looked at her more, then put a arm around her.

"I understand." she whispered in her ear. Ganju smiled.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked up in the sky. The moon was fully out now, and Ichigo was silent. They seemed to be walking for hours now.

But really, they have been walking for about 5 minutes. Ichigo's feet were thumping on the ground.

It sounded like his heart. The beat was strong, it was balanced.

Then Ichigo started running. Toushiro could hear him say,

"There it is! Come on!"

The thumping of his feet… It was faster. Sort of what Toushiro feels now. The strong beating of his heart. Was he nervous.

No… A taicho must never be nervous. But then again, he wasn't a taicho anymore… Right?

**HT/KK**

Karin sat on the table. The house looked as normal as ever. Ganju left a few minutes ago…

"_I'll visit you again tomorrow, Karin-chan. Nee-san will kill me if she found out I sneaked out." he said._

Except that the table was now very sturdy enough to sit on. The window was showing a perfect view of the moon. The cool breeze sneaked a blow to her face and she shivered.

It was amazing. The feelings of the real world was so alike to Soul Society. But it was different in some way. The people were the same, but they were all looking for a family. They were all looking for love.

The small things seemed to make a huge difference here.

She stood up, and opened the door. The road to the soccer field looked inviting. It was empty, and a soccer ball seemed to be waiting to be kicked in the middle of the field.

It was calling for her.

She walked slowly, letting the breeze slip into her body. The feeling of want. It was over there.

She recalled it… The last time she got to play soccer.

_She wiped of her tears with the back of her hand and they just sat there in silence._

"_Karin, im sorry I made you wait. Im sorry I was such an idiot. I just wanted to say I missed you." he said looking straight into her eyes._

_The intensity of his gaze made her look away._

"_I missed you too. A lot." she said, and stood up._

"_Where are you going?" he asked standing up too._

"_Play soccer of course, that's one way to be able to kick your sorry ass for making me wait." she said her face much happier now, and her now long hair swaying in the wind._

_Toushiro smiled too, he missed the game._

_The soccer game ended in a surprising note. Karin won by a landslide, she poured all her anger into the game and it resulted with a strong win._

_They both sat on the bench again, panting._

"_You've grown weak, Toushiro." said Karin with a note of amusement._

"_I let you win." he said with a small smile._

"_And besides, you deserve it." she said._

Then she stopped. A few inches away from the soccer ball. It was painful… Like there was a barrier. Seconds ago, the burning desire to play faded away in guilt and sadness.

The ball suddenly looked scary to her. The ball was white. There were green trimmings.

Suddenly, she imagined it as Toushiro. The white hair… and the big, green eyes that never failed to make her melt.

She closed her eyes for a second, gripped her hands then delivered a kick to the ball. She wasn't playing alone. Toushiro was always there with her… Even if it was only a non-living thing that resembled him.

Karin was bursting with happiness. The feeling of it, it was highly addictive. Her first love was always soccer, and it never changed.

Then she delivered the biggest kick ever. And it landed in the woods. Karin sighed angrily.

"Damn it." she muttered as he ran to the forest. But before she reached it, the ball returned back at her. It was an impressive kick.

A shadow was behind the tree. Who was that...?

Suddenly… She saw white hair, that resembled a bush. Then green eyes that made her melt.

It was Toushiro.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed. She wasn't there, alright. Ichigo was standing next to him. He just came out of the house, his face pale.

"She's not there." said Ichigo. Toushiro rolled his eyes.

"I could tell."

Then Ichigo looked up in the sky.

"It's dark… Shouldn't we rest?" he asked. Toushiro glared at him.

"No." he replied angrily.

_Where is she?_

_Damn it!! How did she know I was coming?_

_My reiatsu…_

Then he realized he didn't really bother to hide his reiatsu. He forgot, that was the real explanation. He cursed himself then his head popped up an idea.

"Why didn't I think of it before?" he asked himself with gritted teeth.

"What?" asked Ichigo. Toushiro ignored him. He knew that Ichigo wasn't exactly a brilliant sensor.

He raised his hand for silence. Then there it was.

"Karin." he whispered. Then he ran up to the path, that led closer to the huge wall of western Rukongai. Ichigo ran after him.

Then a few minutes of running, they heared a soccer ball. Toushiro froze. Ichigo froze.

They looked at each other.

"Soccer ball… Could it be…?" muttered Ichigo. Toushiro gulped.

"Karin…" he whispered again. It was her alright. The rough kicks that he could hear, and the strong sense of self. It was almost radiating.

That was her. That was Karin in the soccer field. He would know…

He went forward, making sure that he hid himself in the darkness. Ichigo followed slowly, and they looked over as Karin hit the ball higher.

Sweat was pouring, but she didn't notice. The higher it went, the higher her smile. She was impressive. The intense look in her eyes.

The last time Toushiro saw that was when they were playing their games of soccer. This was his rival.

Karin delivered a huge kick, which caused her body to turn over. His eyes widened as the ball landed next to him. He could see Karin sigh, then come nearer.

Toushiro picked the ball up, stared at it for a minute, then kicked it high up. It landed perfectly next to Karin. She looked shocked.

Ichigo was about to go out, when Toushiro stopped him.

"I'll go first." He muttered. Ichigo nodded. Toushiro went forward, and watched as Karin's eyes widen.

"Toushiro…" she whispered. Toushiro looked at her.

There was silence.

"You didn't think that I would let you leave me, did you?" he asked quietly, as the silence continued. Karin looked away.

"I told you to stay at Seretei… Why are you such a hard head?" she muttered. Toushiro's look didn't waver.

He continued, in the same tone,

"Did you seriously think… That a simple note would suffice?"

Karin closed her eyes. Why was he here? That question coursed through her head.

"Toushiro… Go back." she said. Toushiro sighed.

"Why? Why did you leave without talking to me?!" he said, his voice getting louder with each word.

Karin finally looked at his eyes.

"You know what I said." she said coldly. Toushiro stepped a little closer. Karin stepped back.

"I don't understand…" he said, his voice wavering. Karin sighed.

"Toushiro, I want you to be happy." she said, then she clutched her arms together. "I want you to rule soul society… I want you to continue you're dreams."

Toushiro closed his eyes. Karin looked at him carefully.

"Karin… You are the only thing that makes me happy… You are my dream… Without you, I cannot continue being happy anymore." he said. Karin raised an eyebrow.

He continued,

"The feeling of being whole. I felt it before you came… But when you _did _come, I realized that complete was with you. Then when you left… It was hard, Karin… I am not complete without you."

Karin looked away.

"I love you, Karin." he said, his voice tiny. Karin looked at him again, this time her eyes wide.

"W-What?" she asked.

"I love you, damn it!" he burst. He looked so upset that Karin couldn't stand looking at him. Then Karin went nearer to him, Toushiro didn't move. He watched as she went nearer. Slowly…

Then she was right in front of him. Toushiro looked at her, her dark eyes connecting to his.

"Karin…" he whispered. Karin enveloped him in a hug, Toushiro gasped.

"Toushiro… I love you too… That's why im letting you go." she whispered. Toushiro felt her grip his robes then a slight sob. "I want you to be a captain… Continue you're job, Toushiro… This place needs you more than I…"

"Didn't you hear what I said?" asked Toushiro. Karin felt him tighten his grip on her… As if he was afraid of letting go.

Karin pushed him off gently, then held his hand, their eyes connected together. Toushiro saw a lone tear stream down her eyes.

"I did… Toushiro… We will always be whole. We will always be together… Though we are not together, we will be connected by our bonds." she said. Toushiro gripped her hand.

"Don't do this, Karin." he said, almost begging. Karin released his hands, and they seemed cold after they took off from each other.

"I'm sorry." she said, then she turned away. "Please, leave me…"

"Karin…" he muttered. In desperation, he bent down on his knees. "Don't leave me."

"Im sorry." she repeated quietly, then she ran away, tears now streaming down her face. Her feet seemed to be moving by themselves. Toushiro stood up and made to run after her, when Ichigo clutched his arm.

"Don't." he said. Toushiro closed his eyes for a second, then looked at the soccer ball near his feet.

He kicked it with all his might, and shouted.

"ARRRGGHHHHHH!!" he burst, he wanted to shout more. He wanted to release his frustrations… His anger… His sadness.

He clutched his zanpakuto and threw it in the air, hearing it shout his name angrily. Toushiro ignored it and felt his knees buckle. He fell flat on the floor, his face first. He felt defeated. He felt like a million wounds were on his heart.

He felt like it was fatal. Heartbreak was never easy.

He took a handful of grass to his hands and clutched it… He wanted the pain to be replaced by something that hurt more… But to him, nothing will replace the hurt he was feeling now.

Toushiro released the grass from his hands… They were now dirty. He didn't care.

He blinked as he looked up in the sky, it was beautiful. It was mocking him. Then he realized his eyes were wet. Ichigo was standing next to him, looking at the sky. His arms were crossed. He didn't seem to care that Karin left.

Toushiro croaked at him,

"Aren't you going after h-her?" he muttered. Ichigo shook his head.

"No. Now that ive seen her, I know she will be okay." Then he added, "What kind of brother will I be if I tease her when she is feeling down?"

Toushiro stood up and didn't bother to dust himself. His pure white captain robe was now stained with mud and grass. Ichigo looked at him. Toushiro's dirty face had tear tracks. Ichigo sighed, then watched Toushiro walk off.

Ichigo let him walk alone for a few seconds. Then he went after him, making sure there was space between them.

Toushiro was shaking.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro entered his room, then slammed the door shut. He collapsed in his bed. His heart was beating slowly. His eyes were stinging. His body was dirty.

There was pain everywhere. And he knew the 4th squad wouldn't be able to heal his wounds this time.

**HT/KK**

Karin was sitting on the rock. She was far away now. Her whole body felt like it was stabbed in million places, not only because she ran as fast as she could.

She looked down on her hands. They were shaking.

She closed her fingers, then looked up in the sky. It was bright. She hated it.

"Toushiro…" she muttered, as she felt her body burst.

"TOUSHIRO!!" she cried, her voice anguised. Then she fell on the ground, her body loosing balance. There was darkness. There was a gentle voice that whispered in her ear,

"Karin… You'll be alright." The voice said. It was a little familiar, but it was a distant thing. It was a woman's voice. It was gentle… It made her feel calm.

Who was this woman? Karin wanted to know… But before she could ponder it, she felt her body lose consciousness.

Heartbreak was never easy…


	33. The day after the end

**Chapter 31: The day after the end**

Karin groaned. Her body was heavy, as if she ran a marathon. No, she didn't. But she remembered the pain of her heartbreak. Then she realized her heart was beating too fast for her body. She opened her eyes.

She wasn't in her room; she wasn't in Kenta's hut… She wasn't even in Toushiro's office. She was in a completely different place, and she didn't know where she was at all.

The place was quite pleasant, in a simple way. The windows outside showed the early sun burning her face. The room was painted in white, and there was a small bed next to her. The bed was empty, and it was fixed.

She felt the covers on her, and somehow she felt them familiar.

"Where am I?" she asked herself. The covers… They looked like the ones her mother knitted for her when she was only a baby… She and Yuzu had the same, and shared the same. She remembered Ichigo refusing to have one, since he thought he was already a big boy.

She stretched her arms, and her body shot up. She suddenly remembered a familiar voice. It was familiar… But who was she?

Was it possible that she was…?

Then she heared the door squeak open in the other room, and she faked sleeping. Her heart was still beating a million a second, and her eyes were bursting to go open as she felt a presence next to her. Then she heared her sit down at the next bed.

The bed squeaked and a hand stroked her hair.

"Karin… You wouldn't imagine how shocked I was when I saw you…" the voice said. Who was she? She knew her?

"At first I didn't think it was you… Until I saw that you had the same eyes of your father." then she continued, "It wasn't until I went near you until I realized it was really my daughter."

Karin opened her eyes in shock, and Masaki too was taken aback when she realized that Karin was actually listening.

Karin jumped off the bed and stepped back, a little unsure.

"M-Mom?" she asked, her voice shaking. The blonde hair, the gentle blue eyes… Karin felt like it was a dream.

"Karin…" said Masaki, her mouth curling up in a small smile. Then Karin hugged her mother, her tears splattering on her back.

"Mom… I can't believe it…" she said. Then Masaki started crying too. This was her mother alright, the smell was also familiar, though she was only a baby back then… She would know if this was her mother or not.

When they stopped crying and hugging, Masaki sat beside a very red Karin and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Karin, I have to ask, why are you here?" she asked, surprise still etched on her face. Karin looked at her mother then to her hands.

"I died. I was killed by a hollow." said Karin, "Mom, how did you find me?"

Masaki let out a small laugh.

"I don't really know. All I recall was going out for a walk, when I saw a young familiar girl shouting her lungs out, and collapsing on the ground… Why?" she asked, her voice turning serious.

"I-It's a long story." said Karin, though she never really experienced having a mother. It was quite normal for a teenage girl to be embarrassed in sharing her love life with her mother. Masaki smiled.

"A boy, perhaps?" she said. Karin smiled up at her, but it was a sad smile. Then she felt her hands shake again. Toushiro…

"I'd rather not talk about it yet, mom." said Karin. Masaki nodded understandably. Then she took Karin's hand and said,

"I really did miss a lot, didn't I?" she said. Karin looked at her.

"What are you talking about?" asked Karin, her mother sniffed sadly.

"You are so grown up now, Karin. Though I never forgot my children or my husband in my long stay here… I didn't realize that I missed a lot." Then she added, "My daughter just experienced her first heartbreak…"

Karin squeezed her mother's hand and said,

"Oh come on… You don't have to say it like that. You didn't really miss much…" she said. Then she looked at the hand painted picture of them at the wall behind her. She just saw it now.

"You should have seen how much we missed you. It really took a toll on Ichi-nii and dad." she said. Masaki giggled.

"Ah yes, knowing Isshin, he would have probably put a life-sized portrait of me somewhere in the house." She was joking of course, but she didn't know how right she was.

Karin laughed nervously. Masaki looked at her.

"I'm right, am I?" she asked, a knowing smile etched on her face. Karin nodded then started laughing.

"How did you know?!" she asked. Masaki raised an eyebrow amusedly.

"You're father made a life-sized portrait of Miyako (our dead cat), then pasted it somewhere. He tore it down when Ichigo started doodling on it when he was still a baby." she said.

"We had a cat?!" cried Karin. No frikin' way.

"Yeah, but you and Yuzu didn't exactly get to see it."

They both shared identical grins and there was a small silence.

"Mom?" said Karin. Masaki looked at her.

"Yes, dear?" she said in reply.

"I missed you." said Karin. Masaki smiled, and then pinched Karin's cheek.

"I missed you guys too… Like crazy." she added. Karin rubbed her cheek.

"Mom?" she asked again.

"Yes, dear?"

"You might notice that I am not a kid anymore… So cheek-pinching is unnecessary." she said, her voice hinting high amusement.

Masaki smiled, and then pinched Karin's cheek again.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed. Not a wink of sleep, and his eyes were red. He ruffled his hair and sat up on his futon bed. The dirty clothes on him itched now, but he didn't notice.

Hyourinmaru was dirty too, since he recalled throwing it as far as he could. But he didn't bother to polish it. Toushiro was a mess… But he didn't care.

Suddenly, the door opened with a bang. Matsumoto came in, somewhat rudely.

"Taicho! Why're you…?" she stopped. She looked at the young captain, whose face was scrunched up.

Matsumoto looked closer at the captain. Toushiro's hair was messier than a bush, and it was streaked at the back with mud. He was still wearing captain robes that were also muddied up. His face was dirty, and his eyes were red. Then she noticed tear tracks on his face. Toushiro didn't bother to wipe them at all.

Then she looked at the floor. Hyourinmaru was tossed nearby, and it too was dirtier than it should be.

"T-Taicho? What happened?" she asked her face full of concern. Toushiro looked away.

"She left me." he croaked. Matsumoto looked at him, and saw that his eyes were filling up again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Toushiro shook his head. Matsumoto figured too.

"Anyway, Ichigo told me that you were here. He wouldn't tell me why, though. I just wanted to tell you about the ryoka situation. The sotaicho didn't know that you left, but he summoned a larger search party at Sereitei—"she stopped when she saw that he wasn't listening.

Toushiro looked absent-minded. His mind was somewhere else, and she knew that it was with Karin. Matsumoto sighed.

"I'll leave you to rest, taicho." she said. He didn't say anything. When she turned to leave, she looked back at him.

"Smile, taicho. It may be hard at first. And you might think that it would be useless, anyway. But smiling is the first step to healing… Then you will realize that when you smile… The whole world can't help but smile with you." she said, then she gave him a tight smile.

Toushiro looked at her for a second then looked away. Matsumoto was gone.

**HT/KK**

Karin stepped out of the house, her mother beside her. The air was cold, but it was warm at the same time. It was comforting. The feeling of it on her skin was tingling and the weather seemed to have improved.

"Wait… Where are we going?" asked Masaki. Karin told her that she was going to introduce her to someone.

"I want you to meet one of my friends! I was sort of staying with her." she said. Masaki nodded, then stopped.

"Do you know where?"

"Oh mother, the one thing ya have to know about me is this… Once ive been somewhere, everywhere else is a cinch!" she exclaimed her hand in the air.

Masaki laughed.

They continued walking. Karin sighed inwardly. Though she never imagined that she would actually see her mom there… She didn't realize that leaving Toushiro had a brighter side.

Toushiro… She didn't want to think about him. The fresh wound was still there, and she wondered how he was now.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro grumpily entered the washroom.

_I'm neglecting myself. If Karin didn't want me then…_

_I don't want her!_

That was a lie of course. He wanted her… He wanted her so much that he wanted to kill himself by drowning his body in the tub.

As he soaked his body in the tub and felt the dirt go away… he wished he could just wash away the pain that dared seep deeper in his already dirty soul.

**HT/KK**

Karin knocked on the door, then there was an immediate open. Kenta looked frantic, then when she saw Karin, she delivered a huge smack on her head with her slipper.

"Ouch! Wtf!?" screamed Karin. Masaki, who was standing in the background, looked slightly over-whelmed by the blonde kid, with a dirty smacking slipper.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick! I thought you DIED or something!" boomed Kenta, her baby face looking menacing, it was almost scary.

Karin rubbed her face.

"Well, a lot of things happened last night—"but then she was cut off.

"Who're you?" she asked Masaki. Masaki went forward and curtsied.

Karin laughed inwardly at her mother's antics.

"Eh?" asked Kenta, she too looked amused.

"I'm Kurosaki Masaki, I am Karin's mother. Nice to meet you." she said. Kenta blushed.

"Ah! I-I'm Uruusai Kenta… Nice to meet you too, ma'am." said Kenta, embarrassed because she hit Karin in front of her mother. Her face was tinged pink.

Then she gestured for them to come in. Karin smiled then grabbed her mother's hand. As soon as they sat down, Karin looked at Kenta.

"What happened, Karin?" asked Kenta, a little too interested to be allowed. Masaki looked worried.

"W-Well." said Karin slowly. Kenta gritted her teeth in impatience.

Karin spoke. She told them everything, and her mother was frowning. Karin felt her heart drop with every word she spoke. And as soon as she was finished, her heart was already on the ground, its blood spilling like a river.

Karin then wiped her face when she realized she was crying. Kenta looked at her, as if she couldn't understand a single thing. Masaki, however, enveloped her daughter in a hug.

"It's okay… It'll be fine." said the mom. Karin sobbed.

"No it won't. I won't be okay… I miss him already." said Karin. Kenta surveyed her, and then looked away.

Karin continued listening to her mother. The comforting words were never comforting, but being there with her mom made it a little better.

Kenta then blinked at her.

"If you want to see him so badly, why don't you become a shinigami?" asked Kenta, her words stating the obvious.

Karin looked at her.

"What?" she asked. Obviously, she didn't know anything. Masaki raised her eyebrows at Kenta. She was right of course, but why didn't they think about it before?

"Karin, do you know how shinigami become shinigami?" asked Kenta. Karin shook her head.

"No… Ichi-nii sort of just became a shinigami." said Karin. Masaki looked at her.

"Ichigo is a shinigami like you're father?" she asked, pride in her eyes. Karin nodded at her, then looked back at Kenta.

"Well, they go to an academy to become shinigami." she said. Karin's eyes widened.

"No… Don't tell me…"

"YOU HAVE TO ATTEND THAT ACADEMY!" cried Kenta, raising her arms up in the air. Karin looked anxious.

"I don't know… I don't think I'm capable." said Karin. Kenta rolled her eyes.

"Woman, you get hungry. That means you have reiatsu… Am I right?" she asked. Karin nodded.

"You mean you don't?" she asked Kenta. Kenta rolled her eyes again.

"No I don't. Not everyone gets to be a shinigami. Only a chosen few." said Kenta, then added,

"In there, you will be able to finally hone your skill and become a shinigami!"

"I-I don't know…" she said again.

"Karin… I think you SHOULD go. I know you love this Toushiro so much, that you can't even bear it. And when true love comes… You have to go chasing after it… Whatever it takes." said Masaki. Karin looked at her mother sadly.

"But that would mean I won't be able to be with you." said Karin. Masaki smiled gently at her.

"I will always be here… But true love comes once in a lifetime." she said in reply. Karin felt her eyes grow foggy.

"Thanks, mom." she said, giving her mother a hug.

Kenta smiled in the background, then said,

"I'm not sure… But enrollment starts in a month. So you better get ready, Karin." she said, then added, "You don't have to pay, really. You just have to show them you're worth, and that you have a reiatsu."

"R-Right." said Karin, nervously.

"Well, let's not just sit here talking… Why don't I prepare a meal?" asked Masaki. Kenta raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not really hungry, but im sure Karin is." she said, with a tiny smile. Karin felt her tummy grumble.

It was so loud that there was silence.

Then there was laughter… Laughter mixed with hope that Karin carried like a chain.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sat on his chair, his handwriting was shaky, and probably unreadable. But no matter. At least he got the job done.

As he looked again on the table, the letter was still on it. He tried throwing it away, but he ended up keeping it anyway.

Karin's words were important to him. Even if they were directed to the end of it all.

He looked outside the window. Ichigo and Renji were having a wrestling match, and Rukia was giggling behind them.

Rukia went to him that morning, wanting to know what happened. He dismissed her, though. They should have known full well that he didn't want to talk about it.

Bloody annoying. Honestly.

Suddenly, Renji delivered a huge blow on Ichigo's stomach. Then it happened.

Ichigo farted to loud, Toushiro heared it in the office. There was silence from the three. Then stifled laughter from Rukia. Then full blown laughter.

Rukia was laughing so hard that she was rolling on the ground. Renji was laughing that he needed the support or Rukia. Ichigo was red, and he looked embarrassed to even say anything.

Then Renji seized a bucket nearby and splashed Ichigo on his behind.

Toushiro could hear him say,

"That stank! Wash your ass, you dirty sunnova—"

Then Ichigo punched Renji on the face. Rukia was still laughing like an idiot.

They were laughing. They looked so happy, Toushiro felt jealous of them.

Suddenly, his mouth turned up in a small smile of amusement. Maybe Matsumoto was right…

"_Smile, taicho. It may be hard at first. And you might think that it would be useless, anyway. But smiling is the first step to healing… Then you will realize that when you smile… The whole world can't help but smile with you."_


	34. A month after

**Chapter 32: A month after**

_1 month after…_

Toushiro sat behind his desk. He was officially done with his paperwork, and he didn't have anything else to do. The silence in the room was deafening. Matsumoto was sitting on the couch, her mind completely on the paperwork. He couldn't get why she was acting so serious.

As he shuffled the papers and stood up, Matsumoto looked over at him and smiled.

"Taicho, you're finished already?" she asked, her mouth in a perfect 'o'.

Toushiro smirked. Why was she so surprised?

"Yes. Matsumoto, what's wrong with you?" he asked. Matsumoto blushed.

There were some things that she couldn't tell her captain. Mainly because she knew things that would definitely surprise him. And it wouldn't be nice to have to spoil a perfectly good surprise.

She knew, in fact, that Karin was attending the academy. She and a bunch of other vice-captains were assigned to manage the attendants list. They were usually given this kind of work.

"Nothing, I have just been preoccupied lately… I decided to make my work properly." said Matsumoto innocently. Toushiro raised an eyebrow. She was acting really… Odd. But he decided to shrug. It was useless to dwell on things like that.

He left the room, and walked out in the streets. He was tired of all the work he had to do.

It's been one month since the breakup. One month of pure sadness. Of course, he didn't dwell on useless things. But still, it was horrible that his mind couldn't forget every single word; every single tear drop.

Ichigo left a few days after they went to Rukongai. He didn't really bother to talk to Toushiro about what happened, but sure enough he gave him a few words to live by,

"_If you want to forget about my sister, go on and do it. But you can't erase you're memories and replace it with another."_

An idea like that reminded him about the memory erasing gadget. But he was right. It was useless. He left soon since he still had college to do, but he said he'd visit soon so he can talk to Karin next time.

The ryoka incident soon dispersed when they finally realized that they were actually out. The Gotei 13 obviously spent too much time trying to find them, so they left more left out paper work out. It made Toushiro slightly crazy, but it helped otherwise. He turned into a workaholic soon after, since it helped forget about Karin.

Then two weeks later, he asked Yama-jin for more work. He wasn't given any though, since the other squads already took it.

The only way he could actually cut out from thinking about her was when he was walking around. Somehow the view of the places he went to put her out of the picture. But not completely. Some things like the moon reminded him of their memories he was so fond off.

Then there was night time. In his dreams, she never missed popping in it. There was one time he dreamt she was a dragon chasing after him. It had its meanings… But he never tried to find out.

**HT/KK**

Karin ran faster.

_BAKA! What the hell is wrong with you?_

She was running late for her first class. Her mother was bombarding her with so much breakfast, insisting that she needed her energy from all the food groups. Then her uniform got splashed with a bunch of honey, and her mother had to laundry it and dry it fast.

Not only that, she couldn't really blame it all on Masaki. She slept late that night, talking with Kenta and Shibata. Naturally, she had a hard time getting up from bed.

As she got called for the 5th time by her mom, she finally stood up.

Karin couldn't believe she was late for her first day! Her sensei will kill her, and that would be embarrassing. Karin groaned and ran faster, her feet racing with the time.

"FINALLY!" she cried as she stopped in front of the gates. She wasn't late, yet. It seemed she still had five more minutes until the bell. It was actually lucky, since a couple of other students seemed to be arriving, their heads covered with sweat.

She gasped for air, and looked around. The Central Spirit Academy was so grand. Though it wasn't fabulous, it was definitely huge. There were about three gyms and two buildings. And there was a court that looked like it had a bunch of cards on it with hoops.

Karin wondered about that. Kenta said it had something to do with 'kidou'.

She clenched her fists determinedly. There wouldn't be a doubt that she would do her best. She was doing this for Toushiro after all.

Then she smiled as she realized that she was a few years close to actually being legal with him.

**HT/KK**

"MATSUMOTO!!" boomed Toushiro as he banged the door open. Matsumoto jumped and clutched her breasts.

"Taicho!" chimed Matsumoto. Toushiro rolled his eyes and walked in front of her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. He looked shocked, and at the same time worried.

Matsumoto felt her face grow red. Did he find out about Karin?

She laughed nervously. Toushiro slapped his forehead.

"You didn't tell me that you had a mental sickness." said Toushiro. Matsumoto raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, Taicho?" she asked. What the HELL was she talking about? Mental sickness?

"Kuchiki told me about it." he said. "Rukia…" he added.

Matsumoto flushed. Rukia?

"I don't know what you're talking about." she said, somewhat rudely and a little defensively. She couldn't help it since she didn't KNOW a bit about what he saying.

"You don't have to say much, it's okay. I suddenly had workaholic tendencies." said Toushiro. Then he regretted admitting it when Matsumoto grinned up at him.

"I am so going to kill her." said Matsumoto, her teeth gritted in a smile. Toushiro blinked.

"What was that?" he asked. Matsumoto shook her head.

"Nothing, Taicho." she said.

**HT/KK**

"I will teach you how to handle a job as a shinigami. This is not a simple path, and you will not be given that much chances as soon as you progress. And I trust that you will work to your best, and work your way up to a seat at the Gotei 13." said sensei. Karin was full of concentration.

She was in class 5-1, and so far, she was getting bored with the introductions and warnings. She wanted blood, she wanted to learn… And fast!

Sitting down there, not doing anything, she was getting impatient. And she found herself drifting farther from the class. Then she slapped her face awake.

"Shake it off." she muttered. Her seatmate looked at her like she was crazy and inched farther from her.

A few hours later, the academy let of their students. They were given a day to pack so they can leave for the dorm. Karin walked slowly back home, it was a bit far off.

The sun was setting, and she was getting used to seeing it melt into the dark sky. She breathed in the air. She loved being in the woods, it was the feeling of cleansing.

Then she sneezed.

Who was thinking about her? Then she smiled.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro was of course. He was sitting at the porch, and his vice-captain was out for a SWA meeting. The air was relaxing that night. It wasn't that usual that the air gave of that feeling.

For some reason it was a feeling of hope mixed in the air. Hope of what exactly?

He didn't know. But he had a pretty good idea.

**HT/KK**

"Rukia, why did you tell my captain that I had a mental problem with being a workaholic?" asked Matsumoto. Rukia laughed, and then grinned at her.

"Sorry about that. I passed by him, while he was walking, and then suddenly he asked me if I knew what was wrong with you…" she said. Then added, "I didn't want to tell him it was because of Karin!"

"Right… But still, I wished you told him something else." said Matsumoto with a huff. Rukia laughed and said,

"Not my fault, Rangiku-san! You were the one being obvious."

Matsumoto nodded, and then realized that she was right.

**HT/KK**

"Mom, I'm back." called out Karin, and knocked in the bedroom to find her mother lying flat on her back.

Masaki seemed to be asleep, and Karin sat next to her and looked at her face. She had a lone tear, and Karin knew why. She missed everybody else. Karin knew what it felt to miss someone, and she couldn't imagine what her mother feels being with her and not with everybody else.

Karin looked out the window and at the moon. Ichigo, Yuzu and her father are most probably under the same moon, and it was saddening. But she knew that she wasn't alone. They were always there. It was like her and Toushiro. Far away from each other, but they were always together.

Karin sighed. It wasn't impossible for Toushiro to fall in love with someone else.

_Toushiro… I'm not the only woman in his life. It's possible for him to fall in love with someone else. After the way I treated him… It makes me wonder if my decision is correct. After all, I was the one of called it quits._

_Trying to get back with him… I might as well quit now._

_Stupid. You don't quit!_

_I just want Toushiro, but this time at least I can be legal with him. I'm going to do my best to climb up next to him. I won't let that boy get the better of me._

_Why do I love him?_

_Simple. I DON'T KNOW._

She laughed silently. Love was so stupid, that it was complicated. Then she turned back from the moon and started packing her clothes. It was high-time she packed early so she won't be late for tomorrow.

Then a gentle shuffle from her side.

"Karin, how was school?" croaked her mother, then Karin grinned at her.

"It was great, mom." said Karin. Her mother smiled.

If love was easy, she fell in love with the next guy she met. Luckily, it wasn't.

Toushiro was one hell of a lucky guy.

**Chapter 34: In his arms**

Finally, after years of intensive training, Karin Kurosaki is now graduating. The past years where never complete without sweat and some blood and tears.

As she stood there, her face shining in the sun, she clutched her zanpakuto and walked into Sereitei. Her black shinigami robes rustling on the ground.

It was a shock to many that she already had her shikai, and nobody expected it from a normal shinigami.

**HT/KK**

_Karin ran faster. The dummy hollows were faster than she expected. Her partner was already down, and the other one was running away._

_She cursed. Why was she trapped with such weaklings? She clutched her hilt harder. The dummy hollow screeched. She charged forward and killed it with one swipe. _

_Then screams resounded from the other direction. Karin jumped down of the building and ran forward. A girl was lying on the ground, her face slightly pink. Though she wasn't injured. She looked up and there it was._

_A flying hollow? Was there such a thing? The senpai was attacking it, and he was already bloody._

"_Damn!" cried Karin. She kicked off the ground and tried to hit it. But with no avail. She couldn't reach it._

_The senpai fell to the ground with a loud thud. Karin felt her sweat drop like a faucet._

_Karin looked at it and then it swooped at her, but suddenly there was darkness._

_**Where am I? She blinked. It was a soccer field. There was a soccer ball on the ground, and Karin went forward to reach for it but then it formed into a beautiful woman.**_

_**Her long hair was in the color of the lightest blue and she had a gentle smile on her face.**_

"_**Karin. Do you know where you are?" asked the mysterious woman. **_

"_**A soccer field. Wait, how do you know who I am?" asked Karin. The woman didn't flinch or move she simply waved her hand.**_

"_**This is your inner world, Karin. And I knew you since you were born. I am your zanpakuto." she replied. Karin dropped her jaw.**_

"_**Z-Zanpakuto?" she muttered. Her hands were not holding a single sword, and she looked forward to find it in her hands.**_

"_**Who are you?" asked Karin, her eyes wide. The woman went forward.**_

__

__

"_**Do you want to protect those near to you?" she asked. Karin nodded.**_

"_**Of course! But that doesn't answer my—"then she stopped. The woman gave her back the sword with gentle hands.**_

_**Karin held it, and it seemed to illuminate with a glow as she clutched it. Then the woman looked at her, her bright green eyes turning into yellow. Karin stared at her, what is going to happen?**_

_**Then the woman snapped her fingers, and there was darkness.**_

_Then a voice sounded in her ears as she saw the hollow come nearer her, then she hung to her sword desperately as she poised her arms forward._

"_**Then call me out… My name is…" **_

"_SPLASH, DORAJIN!" cried Karin. The senpai on the ground spluttered._

_Her sword shot up and she slashed up the hollow with her sword. The hollow cried out in pain. Then Karin grimaced as the sword shot out a dragon formed by water and wrapped around the hollow. Then it was over._

_Karin fell to the ground at the same time and she felt her vision blacken._

"_So that was a zanpakuto… Thanks, Dorajin…" she whispered._

**HT/KK**

She shuffled her feet as she walked slower. The gate was opened today for the new graduates. And she was assigned at the 11th squad. The sensei told her that she was assigned there for her abilities with the sword.

Though pride was ringing in her ears, she wished she was assigned at the 10th squad. But no matter, it was close anyway.

She hasn't been in Sereitei for four years, and now being 19, she was still considered pretty young. Then Toushiro, he was definitely there. She could feel his reiatsu. She wondered how he was, seeing as they haven't talked for a long time.

She never forgot him. And since she achieved Shikai, she couldn't help but thank Toushiro for giving her the power to excel.

At first, the only reason why she went to the academy was because of him. But then as soon as time passed, she learned to have more aspirations.

She would help her and Kenta, and maybe even Shibata have a good life. Now being a Gotei 13 shinigami meant a lot to her, and the good life was always coming her way.

Then she grinned when she saw the 11th squad gate in all its glory waiting for her. And there a few miles away from her were the 10th squad.

"So close yet so far away, eh?" asked a voice from behind her. She turned around to be face to face with Ikkaku, his face in a grin. "When I heared that you were assigned in my squad, I had to wait here."

"Ikkaku." greeted Karin with a grin.

Ikkaku looked at her. She changed a lot since the last time he saw her. Before she was just a scrawny kid with a gutsy attitude; now she involved into a woman. Her black hair tied up in a high pony tail, and the used to be kid body was replaced with a body of a real woman.

Her face seemed to have changed too. Her cheekbones were now higher, but her eyes still sparkled with a familiar look of guts and brawn.

"You look different, Kurosaki Karin." muttered Ikkaku. Karin blushed.

"Ya think so? Yeah well, I AM a woman now." said Karin, giving him the peace sign

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, and then went forward. Karin stared at him. Then he looked back when she didn't move.

"What? I though you wanted to be a shinigami?" asked Ikkaku, in annoyance. Karin grinned and bowed.

"HAI!" she cried, and then ran after him, since he was so far away.

**HT/KK**

Standing in front of the big room was none other than Zaraki Kenpachi, her new taicho. Karin gulped as he grinned evilly at her. Beside him was Yachiru, looking cute as usual.

At her left was Yumichika, and he looked stunned to see her.

"K-Karin-chan?" he asked, since he wasn't sure what he was looking at was her.

Karin sighed angrily.

"Yes! Why is it so hard to believe that it's me?" she boomed. Yumichika spluttered.

"You look so beautiful." he said. Karin blushed again.

What is it? A complete metamorphosis. Well, they were right anyway. People started complimenting her now. And even her mother said that she looked just like her when she was a teenager.

"Thanks, Ayasegawa-san." said Karin, her formality kicking in. Yachiru grinned at her.

"There is no need for formality here, Mikaso-chan!" she said, her laughter in their ears.

"It's Karin… Vice-captain-san. Kurosaki Karin." said Karin. Zaraki eyed her.

"AH! Kurosaki Ichigo's sister! I expected that you will be my subordinate, and I see you have a decent reiatsu about you…" he said. Karin's eye twitched.

Zaraki went nearer, his grin widening.

"Wanna fight?" he asked. Karin gulped. Ikkaku jumped in instantly.

"It ain't the time for that, taicho! We have to seat her." said Ikkaku. Zaraki sighed.

"Damned rules, they ruin all the fun." he growled. "Fine, you take the 3rd seat. End!"

Ikkaku boomed in outrage.

"WHAT!? That's MY SEAT!" he cried, looking like Christmas was cancelled, and he was given a frilly dress instead.

Karin blinked. Zaraki looked at Ikkaku.

"You wanted me to seat her, Ikkaku." he said, then added somewhat menacingly, "So I gave her the nearest seat to me, so that we can fight."

"No! She can't take that seat! Her shikai is not good enough!"

"WHAT THE F ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU HAVEN"T EVEN SEEN IT!" boomed Karin. She hated people who treated her Dorajin like a weakling.

"DON'T YOU TALK TO YOUR SUPERIOR LIKE THAT!" screamed Ikkaku, his face red, and his zanpakuto out now. Karin glared at him coldly. Yumichika sighed and exited the room muttering something that sounded like,

"I have to put more _beautiful_ feathers on my _beautiful _head before it gets _ugly _here."

Then he left, his butt swaying from left to right. Zaraki looked at him with disgust. Then looked at the two fired up subordinates.

"SUPERIOR MY ASS! I CAN BEAT YOU ONE ON ONE ANY FRIKIN TIME!"

"DON'T TALK OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE WOMAN!"

"DON'T TALK, OR YOU MIGHT STRAIN YOURSELF, OLD MAN!"

"WHAT?! OLD MAN?! AT LEAST I CAN BEAT YOU BETTER WITH MY BOURNE INTELLECT!"

"SHUT UP, BALDY!"

That did it.

"BALDY!?"

"BA-A-A-LDYYYYY!!"

"Im going to strangle you, you—"

But then he was stopped by the captain, who was looking annoyed now.

"That's enough, Kurosaki Karin… I give you the position of 4th seat. Now…"

Then he unsheathed his sword with a flourish and Karin gulped.

"WE FIGHT!" he boomed.

Karin ran out of the room, her feet running faster than it ever did in a long time.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed for the 10th time that afternoon. He seated a couple of shinigami, and gave them jobs. He was tired of them shaking under his stare.

He knew his eyes were icy green and his sword was icier than his stare, but he was really getting annoyed with the formality. Maybe that was because of Matsumoto.

This happened every 4-5 years.

Someone knocked out his door, and he looked at it and sighed again. Probably another newbie asking for more.

"Come in." he said, trying to keep his voice from sounding annoyed.

The door opened, and someone unexpected came in. It was Hinamori.

"H-Hitsugaya-kun…" she said, her voice shaky. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"It's Hitsugaya taicho to you, Hinamori." he said. Hinamori giggled.

"That's right." she said. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"What do you need?" he asked. Hinamori crossed her arms demurely.

"I-I haven't visited you for a long time, and I wanted to say hi since I was passing through." she said quietly. Toushiro closed his eyes.

"You said you're hi, so I guess you should get doing your errand." he said. He didn't mean to sound nasty, but he couldn't help it.

Hinamori nodded, and turned her back at him. Toushiro sighed again, but this time inaudibly.

Then she turned back. Toushiro raised an eyebrow. What now?

"We have to talk." she said, her voice different from a second ago. Toushiro looked at her serious face for a second, and then nodded.

She looked at him, and then went out into the garden, Toushiro at her heel, wondering what she wanted now.

**HT/KK**

"Hitsugaya-kun, are you angry at me?" she asked.

They were beside a tree, and Toushiro was opposite Hinamori. He couldn't look at her, because she looked so sad.

"I wouldn't say that." he said. Was he? Maybe. It has been 9 years since they last really talked, and it would make anyone think that he was angry at her.

They used to have a nice relationship. They were friends. Until one day, she decided to be a pawn to Aizen. That turned him off, and he didn't want to be with her anymore.

"Is it about Aizen taicho?" she asked. Toushiro sighed.

"Maybe." he said, and then he heard her sob. Toushiro looked at the blade of grass that still held the rain that last poured.

"So you are angry at me…" said Hinamori. Toushiro clenched his fists.

"I am not angry at you… I was just… I didn't want to be associated with you after all that." said Toushiro. Hinamori shuffled her feet and turned to face him, her eyes shining with tears.

"I have to admit, I was pretty crazy wasn't I?" asked Hinamori, her face in a small smile. Toushiro looked at her and grinned.

"Yeah, you were." he said. Then Hinamori sniffed and looked away.

"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya-kun." she said. Toushiro blinked.

"That's fine." he said. Hinamori smiled at him.

There was silence. Old friends, and new friends.

Hinamori hugged Toushiro, and he hugged her back.

He missed his best friend, alright.

Reuniting… Hinamori wasn't the only thing he would be reunited with soon.

Sooner than you think.

**HT/KK**

"ARGHHH!!" cried Karin. Zaraki was right behind her, and Yachiru was screaming in delight.

"Ken-chan! She's over there! LOOK!" she chimed. Zaraki nodded. Karin gasped as he sped up more.

Her feet were tired now.

"Don't be a scared, Karin! It won't hurt…much!" he said, then he laughed. Karin groaned as her feet felt like they were bleeding.

Pant. Puff. Pant. Puff.

Then she saw a nearby wall, and she jumped in it, and threw a bomb at them.

"_I can't believe you are finally a shinigami, Karin-chan. Here, my present for you." said Ganju, and he grinned giving her a sack._

_Karin looked at it and didn't know how to react._

"_What is it?" she asked. Ganju laughed loudly._

"_What is it, you ask? That is the complete collection of all my favorite bombs. You might want to use it on unsuspecting 11th squad people." he said, then whispered to her ear, _

"_Most especially that Yumichika, he's really full of himself." _

_Karin giggled. Then put the bag next to her and patted it._

"_Thanks Ganju-kun. I'm sure I can use this." she said._

"Thank you, Ganju!" muttered Karin to the heavens.

Then she turned away and ran farther, not knowing she was going to the direction of the 10th squad.

**HT/KK**

She could hear voices nearby, but she couldn't tell who they were. Then she walked, her curiosity getting the best of her. She gasped at the sight that she saw.

"T-Toushiro…?" she whispered. Nobody could hear her.

The sight made her freeze . Toushiro was hugging a woman, who looked like she was blushing. Toushiro too was blushing, and he looked calm.

Karin felt her legs start to shake, and give away.

_Toushiro… I'm not the only woman in his life. It's possible for him to fall in love with someone else. After the way I treated him… It makes me wonder if my decision is correct. After all, I was the one of called it quits._

She didn't expect that what she thought before could be true…

Stupid.

She was goddamned stupid.

She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall again, then she turned back, not hearing him call her name out.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro was holding Hinamori, for what seemed like a whole minute. But then he felt a prickling behind his neck.

Someone was watching them… But who? Suddenly he heared a rustle and movement.

He let go of Hinamori, in time to see her close her eyes and blink away the tears and run away.

Toushiro fell back for a second, and Hinamori didn't seem to notice that he was looking at the person who was watching them.

It was Karin.

Karin, in a shinigami robe.

Karin, holding a zanpakuto.

Karin, looking more different than she was 4 years ago.

He thought he could forget about her, but he just couldn't. He thought that maybe after a few years he could erase her…But he couldn't.

And here she was, in her shinigami uniform, running away.

He could see her tears splattering on the ground. They were silent, and she was far away. But for some reason he could see and hear everything.

"Karin!" he called out.

But she didn't look back.


	35. In his arms

**Chapter 34: In his arms**

Finally, after years of intensive training, Karin Kurosaki is now graduating. The past years where never complete without sweat and some blood and tears.

As she stood there, her face shining in the sun, she clutched her zanpakuto and walked into Sereitei. Her black shinigami robes rustling on the ground.

It was a shock to many that she already had her shikai, and nobody expected it from a normal shinigami.

**HT/KK**

_Karin ran faster. The dummy hollows were faster than she expected. Her partner was already down, and the other one was running away._

_She cursed. Why was she trapped with such weaklings? She clutched her hilt harder. The dummy hollow screeched. She charged forward and killed it with one swipe. _

_Then screams resounded from the other direction. Karin jumped down of the building and ran forward. A girl was lying on the ground, her face slightly pink. Though she wasn't injured. She looked up and there it was._

_A flying hollow? Was there such a thing? The senpai was attacking it, and he was already bloody._

"_Damn!" cried Karin. She kicked off the ground and tried to hit it. But with no avail. She couldn't reach it._

_The senpai fell to the ground with a loud thud. Karin felt her sweat drop like a faucet._

_Karin looked at it and then it swooped at her, but suddenly there was darkness._

**_Where am I? She blinked. It was a soccer field. There was a soccer ball on the ground, and Karin went forward to reach for it but then it formed into a beautiful woman._**

**_Her long hair was in the color of the lightest blue and she had a gentle smile on her face._**

"**_Karin. Do you know where you are?" asked the mysterious woman. _**

"**_A soccer field. Wait, how do you know who I am?" asked Karin. The woman didn't flinch or move she simply waved her hand._**

"**_This is your inner world, Karin. And I knew you since you were born. I am your zanpakuto." she replied. Karin dropped her jaw._**

"**_Z-Zanpakuto?" she muttered. Her hands were not holding a single sword, and she looked forward to find it in her hands._**

"**_Who are you?" asked Karin, her eyes wide. The woman went forward._**

**_‑­_**

"**_Do you want to protect those near to you?" she asked. Karin nodded._**

"**_Of course! But that doesn't answer my—"then she stopped. The woman gave her back the sword with gentle hands._**

**_Karin held it, and it seemed to illuminate with a glow as she clutched it. Then the woman looked at her, her bright green eyes turning into yellow. Karin stared at her, what is going to happen?_**

**_Then the woman snapped her fingers, and there was darkness._**

_Then a voice sounded in her ears as she saw the hollow come nearer her, then she hung to her sword desperately as she poised her arms forward._

"**_Then call me out… My name is…" _**

"_SPLASH, DORAJIN!" cried Karin. The senpai on the ground spluttered._

_Her sword shot up and she slashed up the hollow with her sword. The hollow cried out in pain. Then Karin grimaced as the sword shot out a dragon formed by water and wrapped around the hollow. Then it was over._

_Karin fell to the ground at the same time and she felt her vision blacken._

"_So that was a zanpakuto… Thanks, Dorajin…" she whispered._

**HT/KK**

She shuffled her feet as she walked slower. The gate was opened today for the new graduates. And she was assigned at the 11th squad. The sensei told her that she was assigned there for her abilities with the sword.

Though pride was ringing in her ears, she wished she was assigned at the 10th squad. But no matter, it was close anyway.

She hasn't been in Sereitei for four years, and now being 19, she was still considered pretty young. Then Toushiro, he was definitely there. She could feel his reiatsu. She wondered how he was, seeing as they haven't talked for a long time.

She never forgot him. And since she achieved Shikai, she couldn't help but thank Toushiro for giving her the power to excel.

At first, the only reason why she went to the academy was because of him. But then as soon as time passed, she learned to have more aspirations.

She would help her and Kenta, and maybe even Shibata have a good life. Now being a Gotei 13 shinigami meant a lot to her, and the good life was always coming her way.

Then she grinned when she saw the 11th squad gate in all its glory waiting for her. And there a few miles away from her were the 10th squad.

"So close yet so far away, eh?" asked a voice from behind her. She turned around to be face to face with Ikkaku, his face in a grin. "When I heared that you were assigned in my squad, I had to wait here."

‑­

"Ikkaku." greeted Karin with a grin.

Ikkaku looked at her. She changed a lot since the last time he saw her. Before she was just a scrawny kid with a gutsy attitude; now she involved into a woman. Her black hair tied up in a high pony tail, and the used to be kid body was replaced with a body of a real woman.

Her face seemed to have changed too. Her cheekbones were now higher, but her eyes still sparkled with a familiar look of guts and brawn.

"You look different, Kurosaki Karin." muttered Ikkaku. Karin blushed.

"Ya think so? Yeah well, I AM a woman now." said Karin, giving him the peace sign

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, and then went forward. Karin stared at him. Then he looked back when she didn't move.

"What? I though you wanted to be a shinigami?" asked Ikkaku, in annoyance. Karin grinned and bowed.

"HAI!" she cried, and then ran after him, since he was so far away.

**HT/KK**

Standing in front of the big room was none other than Zaraki Kenpachi, her new taicho. Karin gulped as he grinned evilly at her. Beside him was Yachiru, looking cute as usual.

At her left was Yumichika, and he looked stunned to see her.

"K-Karin-chan?" he asked, since he wasn't sure what he was looking at was her.

Karin sighed angrily.

"Yes! Why is it so hard to believe that it's me?" she boomed. Yumichika spluttered.

"You look so beautiful." he said. Karin blushed again.

What is it? A complete metamorphosis. Well, they were right anyway. People started complimenting her now. And even her mother said that she looked just like her when she was a teenager.

"Thanks, Ayasegawa-san." said Karin, her formality kicking in. Yachiru grinned at her.

"There is no need for formality here, Mikaso-chan!" she said, her laughter in their ears.

"It's Karin… Vice-captain-san. Kurosaki Karin." said Karin. Zaraki eyed her.

"AH! Kurosaki Ichigo's sister! I expected that you will be my subordinate, and I see you have a decent reiatsu about you…" he said. Karin's eye twitched.

Zaraki went nearer, his grin widening.

"Wanna fight?" he asked. Karin gulped. Ikkaku jumped in instantly.

‑­

"It ain't the time for that, taicho! We have to seat her." said Ikkaku. Zaraki sighed.

"Damned rules, they ruin all the fun." he growled. "Fine, you take the 3rd seat. End!"

Ikkaku boomed in outrage.

"WHAT!? That's MY SEAT!" he cried, looking like Christmas was cancelled, and he was given a frilly dress instead.

Karin blinked. Zaraki looked at Ikkaku.

"You wanted me to seat her, Ikkaku." he said, then added somewhat menacingly, "So I gave her the nearest seat to me, so that we can fight."

"No! She can't take that seat! Her shikai is not good enough!"

"WHAT THE F ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU HAVEN"T EVEN SEEN IT!" boomed Karin. She hated people who treated her Dorajin like a weakling.

"DON'T YOU TALK TO YOUR SUPERIOR LIKE THAT!" screamed Ikkaku, his face red, and his zanpakuto out now. Karin glared at him coldly. Yumichika sighed and exited the room muttering something that sounded like,

"I have to put more _beautiful_ feathers on my _beautiful _head before it gets _ugly _here."

Then he left, his butt swaying from left to right. Zaraki looked at him with disgust. Then looked at the two fired up subordinates.

"SUPERIOR MY ASS! I CAN BEAT YOU ONE ON ONE ANY FRIKIN TIME!"

"DON'T TALK OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE WOMAN!"

"DON'T TALK, OR YOU MIGHT STRAIN YOURSELF, OLD MAN!"

"WHAT?! OLD MAN?! AT LEAST I CAN BEAT YOU BETTER WITH MY BOURNE INTELLECT!"

"SHUT UP, BALDY!"

That did it.

"BALDY!?"

"BA-A-A-LDYYYYY!!"

"Im going to strangle you, you—"

But then he was stopped by the captain, who was looking annoyed now.

"That's enough, Kurosaki Karin… I give you the position of 4th seat. Now…"

‑­

Then he unsheathed his sword with a flourish and Karin gulped.

"WE FIGHT!" he boomed.

Karin ran out of the room, her feet running faster than it ever did in a long time.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed for the 10th time that afternoon. He seated a couple of shinigami, and gave them jobs. He was tired of them shaking under his stare.

He knew his eyes were icy green and his sword was icier than his stare, but he was really getting annoyed with the formality. Maybe that was because of Matsumoto.

This happened every 4-5 years.

Someone knocked out his door, and he looked at it and sighed again. Probably another newbie asking for more.

"Come in." he said, trying to keep his voice from sounding annoyed.

The door opened, and someone unexpected came in. It was Hinamori.

"H-Hitsugaya-kun…" she said, her voice shaky. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"It's Hitsugaya taicho to you, Hinamori." he said. Hinamori giggled.

"That's right." she said. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"What do you need?" he asked. Hinamori crossed her arms demurely.

"I-I haven't visited you for a long time, and I wanted to say hi since I was passing through." she said quietly. Toushiro closed his eyes.

"You said you're hi, so I guess you should get doing your errand." he said. He didn't mean to sound nasty, but he couldn't help it.

Hinamori nodded, and turned her back at him. Toushiro sighed again, but this time inaudibly.

Then she turned back. Toushiro raised an eyebrow. What now?

"We have to talk." she said, her voice different from a second ago. Toushiro looked at her serious face for a second, and then nodded.

She looked at him, and then went out into the garden, Toushiro at her heel, wondering what she wanted now.

**HT/KK**

"Hitsugaya-kun, are you angry at me?" she asked.

They were beside a tree, and Toushiro was opposite Hinamori. He couldn't look at her, because she looked so sad.

"I wouldn't say that." he said. Was he? Maybe. It has been 9 years since they last really talked, and it would make anyone think that he was angry at her.

They used to have a nice relationship. They were friends. Until one day, she decided to be a pawn to Aizen. That turned him off, and he didn't want to be with her anymore.

"Is it about Aizen taicho?" she asked. Toushiro sighed.

"Maybe." he said, and then he heard her sob. Toushiro looked at the blade of grass that still held the rain that last poured.

"So you are angry at me…" said Hinamori. Toushiro clenched his fists.

"I am not angry at you… I was just… I didn't want to be associated with you after all that." said Toushiro. Hinamori shuffled her feet and turned to face him, her eyes shining with tears.

"I have to admit, I was pretty crazy wasn't I?" asked Hinamori, her face in a small smile. Toushiro looked at her and grinned.

"Yeah, you were." he said. Then Hinamori sniffed and looked away.

"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya-kun." she said. Toushiro blinked.

"That's fine." he said. Hinamori smiled at him.

There was silence. Old friends, and new friends.

Hinamori hugged Toushiro, and he hugged her back.

He missed his best friend, alright.

Reuniting… Hinamori wasn't the only thing he would be reunited with soon.

Sooner than you think.

**HT/KK**

"ARGHHH!!" cried Karin. Zaraki was right behind her, and Yachiru was screaming in delight.

"Ken-chan! She's over there! LOOK!" she chimed. Zaraki nodded. Karin gasped as he sped up more.

Her feet were tired now.

"Don't be a scared, Karin! It won't hurt…much!" he said, then he laughed. Karin groaned as her feet felt like they were bleeding.

Pant. Puff. Pant. Puff.

Then she saw a nearby wall, and she jumped in it, and threw a bomb at them.

"_I can't believe you are finally a shinigami, Karin-chan. Here, my present for you." said Ganju, and he grinned giving her a sack._

_‑­_

_Karin looked at it and didn't know how to react._

"_What is it?" she asked. Ganju laughed loudly._

"_What is it, you ask? That is the complete collection of all my favorite bombs. You might want to use it on unsuspecting 11th squad people." he said, then whispered to her ear, _

"_Most especially that Yumichika, he's really full of himself." _

_Karin giggled. Then put the bag next to her and patted it._

"_Thanks Ganju-kun. I'm sure I can use this." she said._

"Thank you, Ganju!" muttered Karin to the heavens.

Then she turned away and ran farther, not knowing she was going to the direction of the 10th squad.

**HT/KK**

She could hear voices nearby, but she couldn't tell who they were. Then she walked, her curiosity getting the best of her. She gasped at the sight that she saw.

"T-Toushiro…?" she whispered. Nobody could hear her.

The sight made her freeze . Toushiro was hugging a woman, who looked like she was blushing. Toushiro too was blushing, and he looked calm.

Karin felt her legs start to shake, and give away.

_Toushiro… I'm not the only woman in his life. It's possible for him to fall in love with someone else. After the way I treated him… It makes me wonder if my decision is correct. After all, I was the one of called it quits._

She didn't expect that what she thought before could be true…

Stupid.

She was goddamned stupid.

She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall again, then she turned back, not hearing him call her name out.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro was holding Hinamori, for what seemed like a whole minute. But then he felt a prickling behind his neck.

Someone was watching them… But who? Suddenly he heared a rustle and movement.

He let go of Hinamori, in time to see her close her eyes and blink away the tears and run away.

Toushiro fell back for a second, and Hinamori didn't seem to notice that he was looking at the person who was watching them.

It was Karin.

Karin, in a shinigami robe.

Karin, holding a zanpakuto.

Karin, looking more different than she was 4 years ago.

He thought he could forget about her, but he just couldn't. He thought that maybe after a few years he could erase her…But he couldn't.

And here she was, in her shinigami uniform, running away.

He could see her tears splattering on the ground. They were silent, and she was far away. But for some reason he could see and hear everything.

"Karin!" he called out.

But she didn't look back.


	36. Love is all you need

**Chapter 35: Love is all you need**

Karin shunpoed out of that place, and made sure that her path was clear. Tears were splattering on her black robes, and her hands were shaking as she ran, not bothering to stop.

The cold air was freezing, but all that she felt was the heaviness of her heart.

_Toushiro… I'm not the only woman in his life. It's possible for him to fall in love with someone else. After the way I treated him… It makes me wonder if my decision is correct. After all, I was the one of called it quits._

She should have expected it, Toushiro falling for someone else rather than her. How stupid.

Karin cursed herself.

_Why did I assume that he would wait for me…? When I was the one who let him go?_

She felt disgusted with herself, and all she wanted was to tear her shinigami robes, throw her sword away and go back home.

_I don't belong here. I shouldn't even be here._

Her feet were still killing her, but this time, it was mind over body. She looked behind her, expecting to see him chasing after her, but he wasn't.

She stopped running, and saw the living quarters of the 11th squad. She walked over there, her legs were giving away, and tears were still pouring from her.

As she got to her room, she fell on the bed her head first. Then her pillow was wet.

She hugged it tight, and cried her heart out on it.

_Damned fool._

**HT/KK**

"Hitsugaya-kun!" cried Hinamori, Toushiro was going away without a word, and she was starting to get annoyed. Toushiro turned to her, and he looked angry about something.

"What!?" he boomed. Hinamori looked taken aback, and she bit her lip.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Toushiro eyed her for a second then sighed.

"I'm going to do something that would change my life forever." he said. Hinamori flushed.

"Eh?" she asked. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"It doesn't matter, I don't have to tell you." he said, and then he ran out of the 10th squad with another word.

‑­

Hinamori looked at his retreating back. Blinked, and sighed.

"A secret… If he doesn't want to tell me, I'm going to find out myself." she said. Then left.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro didn't get it. Why was she there? In a shinigami robe, no less. He clenched his fists and resisted the urge to punch the nearest wall.

And then he paused for a second.

There were tears… Sad tears. That meant she saw them hugging.

Did she assume that…?

Toushiro cursed and went ran faster.

"DAMN IT!" he screamed.

**HT/KK**

She walked out of her room, her heart still heavy, but she carried a sense of dignity.

"If he wants to date other women, that's fine with me." she said, but her voice was obviously lying. The minute she stepped out of her room to proclaim that she didn't love him, she immediately felt horrible.

"That's not true." she told herself. Great, now she was talking to herself. Her face was now mercilessly tear-free and she managed to look normal.

But still… Who was that woman? She didn't even look that pretty.

She crossed her arms. She did mature a lot. Now, she seemed to be able to control her feelings. But now, the feelings of sadness and hurt was replaced by anger and hatred.

She kicked the dirt nearby and screamed at the top of her lungs.

So much for controlling her feelings…

**HT/KK**

Ikkaku and Yumichika heard her scream nearby. They both looked up and raised an eyebrow at each other.

"Was that Karin?" asked Ikkaku. Yumichika shrugged.

"She seems to be celebrating. But she doesn't have to do it so loudly." said Yumichika, then added, "It's so un-beautiful to scream."

Ikkaku smirked.

"She doesn't seem to be celebrating." he said.

**HT/KK**

_‑­_

_A few miles away…_

"What was that!?" cried Matsumoto. Rukia looked at her, and then grinned.

"I don't know… And I don't care. But I know that today Karin was assigned to the 11th squad." said Rukia. Matsumoto widened her eyes.

"That's close here!" she said loudly. Rukia nodded.

"Yeah, I heared she was pretty good with the zanpakuto. And she got her shikai recently." she said. Matsumoto grinned.

"Knowing her, she'd probably get a seat." said Matsumoto, and then looked out the window.

"I wonder if taicho knows…"

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked up in the sky. There was a faint scream a while ago. And he slightly expected it to fall from the sky.

"What the heck?" he muttered. He was already at the 8th squad, and he was going to places he half-expected Karin to be at.

But then suddenly, he realized that her reiatsu spiked a moment ago too.

"Could that be her?" he asked himself out loud. Then he turned around and his heart was beating fast.

_I should've known._

_I should've known that she would be here._

_No. It was impossible._

_Why was she here?_

_For me? _

_That sounds weird, since she was the one who broke up with me. _

_But why was she crying?_

He narrowed his eyes and ran faster, his body a blur.

**HT/KK**

Karin looked behind her, as someone tapped her back. Then she blushed. It was Ikkaku and Yumichika.

"What's going on with you?" asked Ikkaku. Yumichika eyed her.

"Screaming your lungs out… It is not beaut—"but he couldn't continue because Ikkaku put a hand on his face.

Then he let go, Yumichika grimaced at him.

‑­

"That is un-beautiful, Ikkaku." he said, wiping his _beautiful _mouth with a pink napkin. Ikkaku and Karin looked at him, and then sweat dropped.

"Anyway, what's going on?" asked Ikkaku. Karin looked away.

"It's nothing, Madarame-san." said Karin. Ikkaku smirked.

"People don't just scream out loud if it's nothing, Karin. And don't call me that. You'll get laughed at here at 11th squad." said Ikkaku, slightly annoyed. Karin nodded.

"Well…" started Karin, but she couldn't continue. Ikkaku and Yumichika was looking at her expectantly. But she couldn't say it.

"What?" they both asked at the same time.

Karin didn't reply, but she crossed her arms.

"You know, with the look of your face, I could tell that you are experiencing heart break." said Ikkaku. Karin looked at him, shocked. How did he know?

"How did you…?"

"How did I know? I didn't know. I was just guessing." He said, evilly. Karin gritted her teeth, they got her. Yumichika closed his eyes.

"Heartbreak is not pretty." he said.

"Is it about Hitsugaya taicho?" he asked. Karin nodded slowly. "I guessed so. He hasn't been himself."

"Not that we know him." said Yumichika.

"Yeah, but obviously, since the ryoka incident, he hasn't been like he was before." said Ikkaku. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"He lost his touch. He wasn't as bossy or as powerful as he was." said Yumichika. Karin's eyes widened.

"Really?" she asked. He was still affected. "Im sure he is okay now… Right?"

"Nah. He still has that depression thing around him… And im guessing it's about you." said Ikkaku.

Karin blushed. How much did they know?

"Karin… I don't know much about what is happening between you two. But all I know is this… He never forgets about you. He's probably crazy in love with you." said Ikkaku. Then Yumichika sighed.

"He didn't know you were going to be a shinigami… But I'm pretty sure that when he sees you again. He'll turn back to his beautiful self." said Yumichika.

Karin looked at their knowing faces then smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I owe ya." she said, with a wink. Ikkaku nodded.

She left, and started going back to the 10th squad.

**HT/KK**

_He hasn't forgotten about me… Even if it was already four years. He still loves me…_

_But who was that woman? Why was she hugging him? Why was he hugging her back?_

_Wait a minute, Karin. _

_I assumed immediately, I didn't even know what was happening between them, I am so assuming. How stupid. _

_I should've known better. Luckily, he didn't see me._

She smiled, then looked around, hoping for traces of his reiatsu.

**HT/KK**

Running, it always had its advantages. One, you speed around… Hoping to catch the person you want. And in time too! Two, you make a statement by looking cool at that. But it had its disadvantages. It's when you bump on someone, trip and fall flat on your face.

In that case, it happened to both Karin and Toushiro.

Karin was making a point to run faster to the 10th squad, excitement seeping into her whole body, all traces of sadness evaporating along with her sweat.

Toushiro too was running, but he was anxious. Anxious to what her reaction would be. Anxious to the answers of it all.

The point was that they were both running. Running in different directions, to the same place.

Karin finally spotted the 10th squad in all its 10th squad glory. She practically beamed. The gate was getting nearer, and she bit her lip.

"What if he doesn't want to be with me anymore?" she asked herself. She sighed.

Toushiro, on the other hand, was getting closer. Years of training forced him to excel in speed. And he had a lot of practice in the past few years. Now that his legs weren't as short as they used to be.

The gate, it was there. But then, he didn't want to go in. He didn't know what would happen.

But he continued running, seems like his feet were moving by themselves.

Ah, destiny. It was playing with them both. Because at the exact moment, the two, immersed in their own thoughts didn't notice that they were bumping to each other.

**BAM!**

A collision. It was like two building collapsing with each other.

"Ouff!" they both cried at the same time, falling flat on their faces.

Karin rubbed her head, and then stood up instantly, her face full of fury.

‑­

"HOW DARE YOU BUMP INTO ME! YOU CLUMSY, LITTLE… Little…" but she stopped.

Toushiro was looking at her, with wide eyes. He seemed stunned to see her there.

"Toushiro." whispered Karin. Toushiro looked at her, still on the ground. His stare was intense. Karin blushed.

"K-Karin?" asked Toushiro, he was unsure now. Her build was… Different. She looked like a woman now, and this was not the Karin she was before.

Karin looked at him. Toushiro practically sighed in relief. They were the same big black eyes that made him fall in love with her. The same attitude…

Toushiro stood up, not bothering to dust his dirty captain's robe. Karin looked away, and she was staring at the horizon. Toushiro looked at it too.

"What are you doing here, Karin? And why are you wearing a shinigami robe?" asked Toushiro, his voice gentle, but they were shaking. He was nervous.

Karin blinked at the view, and then gave him a fleeting look.

"You honestly don't know?" she asked quietly. Toushiro looked at her, and then grabbed her arm.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking." he said. Karin looked at him, her arm burning at his touch.

"Remember when I broke up with you?" asked Karin. Toushiro felt his hand loosen. How could he forget?

He nodded slowly. Karin saw his eyes turn into that filled with sadness that you can't erase.

"I turned into as shinigami so that I could be nearer you, Toushiro." said Karin. Toushiro blushed, and as he looked deeper into Karin's eyes… He knew that what she was saying was true. "I didn't want to be someone who had to sneak into Sereitei so that I could be with you."

"Oh." That was all Toushiro could say, but deep down, he was practically stunned with joy.

"You know… I kind of missed you." said Karin, with a note of amusement in her voice. Toushiro looked away.

"Yeah, I did too." said Toushiro, and then he closed his eyes. "When you decided to call it quits, I was never the same. I didn't know how to make my life complete anymore."

Karin bit her lip, remembering what Toushiro said four years ago.

"_The feeling of being whole. I felt it before you came… But when you did come, I realized that complete was with you. Then when you left… It was hard, Karin… I am not complete without you."_

Then she remembered what Ikkaku said, just a few minutes ago.

"_Yeah, but obviously, since the ryoka incident, he hasn't been like he was before."_

Karin looked at his sad face, as if he was suffering.

"I thought that you would be happy." muttered Karin. Toushiro looked at her with so much intensity; it was burning holes on her.

"It didn't." he said, something like anger in his calm, quiet voice. Karin shook her head.

"Im sorry." she said quietly. Toushiro looked away. Karin looked away.

"That's alright." he said, in the same tone as Karin.

A small apology could always go a long way. But love was the one thing that knitted them together, that a apology was all it needed to keep them both sewed shut together.

Toushiro looked at her in the corner of his eye. Then he looked away, feeling a small smile on his face.

Karin looked at him at the corner of her eye. But then she looked away, smiling.

They both looked at each other at the same time, and blushed. Toushiro took Karin's hand, and Karin squeezed it. He turned to face her, his face looking like he had a sunburn. Karin giggled.

"What?" he asked.

"You look like you have a sunburn." said Karin. Toushiro if possible, blushed even more as she added, "I happen to think it suits you, Toushiro."

"T-Thanks?" he said. Karin laughed, then blinked at him.

There was silence as they melted in each other's stare. They definitely missed each other.

"Karin?"

"Yes, Toushiro?"

"I love you. I always do."

"I love you too. I never stopped loving you."

Then they smiled at each other, as their faces seemed to go nearer, like there was a magnet slowly connecting their lips.

"So that's why you suddenly ran away." said someone from behind them. They both looked at her. Hinamori was standing there, a smile playing on her lips. She had an eyebrow raised.

"H-Hinamori!" exclaimed Toushiro in shock. Wrong timing, yet again.

"Who are you?" asked Karin, not helping to stop the slight annoyance in her voice.

"Ah, I'm Hinamori Momo." said Hinamori. "I'm Hitsugaya-kun's childhood friend."

"_Remember when you asked me why I liked the view of the sky?" asked Toushiro._

_Karin nodded._

"_You said it was because it brings back memories."_

"_Memories of my childhood. And my childhood friend." said Toushiro sadly._

_‑­_

"_Why are you so sad?" asked Karin, who was looking at Toushiro's face._

"_My friend was Hinamori Momo." he said._

_When Karin did not say anything, he continued._

"_She was the fukutaicho of Aizen Souske. I told you about him right?"_

_Karin nodded again._

"_She was attached to him. Then when he faked his death, she was devastated," He said. "Even when she found out he was fake, she even said that I should save that man. She was driven crazy by grief._

" _So since then, when she begged for me to save him, I couldn't face her ever again. Not as friends."_

_Then there was silence._

"_You should talk to her." said Karin, with a comforting smile._

_Toushiro looked at her questionably._

"_It's been 5 years, Toushiro. Don't you think its time to forget?" she said. "And don't tell me she never tried to rekindle your friendship."_

So this was Hinamori. Karin bit her lips. Stupid, assuming, little Karin. Then she gave her a big smile and introduced herself.

"Oh! I'm Kurosaki Karin… Toushiro's… Uhh." what was she? Was she his girlfriend? Special friend? Lover, perhaps?

"She's my girlfriend." said Toushiro. Karin blushed. Toushiro blushed. Hinamori giggled.

"Hey! You haven't told me about her." said Hinamori, faking angriness. Toushiro looked at her.

"We haven't talked in years, Hinamori."

"I KNOW!" boomed Hinamori, then added in a whisper to Karin, "Can't take a joke, can he."

Karin giggled amusedly, as Toushiro gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"It isn't funny, so it's not a joke." said Toushiro, his face red. Hinamori stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, Hitsugaya-kun…" she said. Toushiro pointed a finger at her.

"It's Hitsugaya taicho to you, Hinamori!" he said loudly. Hinamori raised her hands up in the air.

"Yes, taicho-kun." she said. Then looked at them, they both seemed to be red. Then she realized something.

They must've been in the verge of kissing. After all, they're faces were to close for comfort. Then she giggled inwardly.

‑­

"I gotta go, I seemed to have interrupted something… Important." said Hinamori. Then she smiled at Karin.

"Nice to meet you! What squad are you anyway?"

"11th, 4th seat." said Karin. Toushiro gaped at her. _4th seat already? WOW._

"Great! I'll see you soon. I'm from the 5th squad, vice-captain." then she winked at her, and walked away.

They both looked at each other, and then looked away. The mood was definitely broken.

"Karin?" muttered Toushiro. Karin looked at his red face.

"Yeah?" she asked. Toushiro gulped.

Then he took Karin, whose eyes widened and placed a kiss on her lips. At first it was awkward. After all, they haven't kissed in years. Then their lips found their place, and knew instantly that it was alright. The kiss deepened and Karin was deep in his mouth, exploring a place that seemed to have grown. Toushiro too was heated up.

They seemed to have glued their lips together, that they didn't notice time pass, and the sun set.

**HT/KK**

Karin sighed. She was in her room, and her mind was somewhere else. She sighed again.

The most magical kiss happened to them. And she couldn't imagine what it would be like if she didn't kiss his lips. In fact, she missed them already. She smiled dreamily.

Not only his lips. But his face… His hair… His eyes… Everything. She closed her eyes and wished with all her might that the feeling would last forever.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro was sitting nearby the Soukyoku hill, and his mind was on one person, Karin. The dark sky wrapped around the hill, and his whole mind was frozen on her.

"_Karin, is it alright if I ask you something?" he asked, as they stared at each other's eyes. Karin raised an eyebrow._

"_You already did… But you may ask me." she said. Toushiro gripped her hand tighter._

"_I-I…" he couldn't just spit it out, could he. Karin blushed. Was he going to…?_

"_Never mind." he said. Karin looked disappointed, but she smiled all the same. Whenever you are ready, Toushiro._

"Are you sure that you want to propose already?" he asked himself. Then he gulped.

He did, he wanted too, but he was nervous. What if she said no? He couldn't tell if it was time. It looked like maybe; he had to wait for the right time, when they weren't so heated up with such an amazing kiss.

He sighed.

_‑­_

_That was pretty good._

Then he allowed himself to beam at the moon which seemed 10 times more beautiful than ever.

**HT/KK**

Karin grinned as she walked out of the cold porch and looked up at the moon.

"Wow." she whispered. It was breath taking. A full moon, shining in the dark night, how poetic.

"I see that you seem happier, Karin." said someone. Karin looked around. There wasn't anyone there. Until, a form started forming.

"Dorajin!" exclaimed Karin. Dorajin smiled at her, and then put a hand on her arm.

"Thank goodness."


	37. Do you want to?

**Chapter 34: Do you want to?**

She opened her eyes, and gasped. The room had a million flowers in it. She shot up, her hair still messy, and rubbed her eyes just to make sure that she was not dreaming. The room was adorned with flowers that seemed to cascade down her bed up to the door.

She looked beside her and was not too surprised to see a letter from a certain Toushiro. She picked it up and grinned.

_Dear Karin,_

_Want to have dinner with me later? _

_Love, _

_Toushiro_

_P.S: Did you like the flowers? I was the one who set them up. You look beautiful while you sleep._

Karin giggled, and then placed the letter on her bed. She lied down again and put her arms up to her head and sighed. She liked the fact that Toushiro made his way to do something special for her, but she was wondering if he had something to do with it.

After all, why the flowers? There was a reason for it. Was it…?

No. Or was it…

She was confused, she didn't know anything, and suddenly the flowers looked wilted.

_He tried to propose last night… I'm sure of it._

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sneaked out of his room and nudged Matsumoto, who he forced to sleep at the administration office that night. She grumbled and looked at him, she had a goofy face on.

"T-Taicho?" she muttered. It was early in the morning, and she wasn't in the mood to do her paperwork. Toushiro nudged her again.

"Get up. We're going to Karin's." said Toushiro, then he blushed when Matsumoto looked at him. She smiled, and then stood up.

"What are you planning?" she asked, her face anxious, but there was amusement in it. It was full of it, actually.

‑­

"Don't ask questions. Just come with me, I need your help." he said. Matsumoto nodded slowly, then followed her captain out of the office and she gasped loudly at what she saw.

"TAICHO!" she cried in shock.

The whole ground was full of flowers, and they were in different colors. Toushiro grinned.

"I managed to gather it the whole night." he said, his words full of pride. Matsumoto looked at him.

"All night?" now that she thought of it, her captain looked tired, and his eyes were red. His robes were dirty too. Luckily, he washed his hands, but there were traces of mud on his fingernails.

Toushiro nodded then picked a flower up.

"Now, I want to surprise Karin this morning, and you have to help me decorate her room." said Toushiro. Matsumoto smiled at him.

"That's really nice of you, taicho. I didn't know you were such a sweetie." said Matsumoto, her eyebrow raised interestedly. "Wait, how did you know she was here? I didn't remember telling you.."

Then her eyes widened. She definitely said so much.

Toushiro glared at her. She squirmed.

"You knew?" he growled. Matsumoto nodded slowly, and then she grinned sheepishly at him.

"I wanted to surprise you!" she cried. "I mean, you'd probably take her on if you found out she was studying at the academy."

"MATSUMOTO!" he boomed.

She ran away, and Toushiro clenched his fists and ran after her.

**HT/KK**

He opened the door quietly and tiptoed in. There she was, in a small futon, sleeping. He sighed in relief. He looked out the door and muttered for Matsumoto to come in. She nodded and snuck in.

"Taicho." she whispered. He looked at her, she pointed out the window at the overflowing flowers. "Should we put them in now?"

Toushiro nodded.

"Get them in, and make sure that none of them get blown away." he added, and bent over next to Karin.

He looked at her calm face. She really did look different. She looked like a woman. Unlike 4 years ago, in the soccer field, though she looked like a woman, she didn't have the gentleness and the strange aura of one.

She was beautiful, and he loved her. He bent over at her, and pushed a strand away from her face and bit his lip.

‑­

"Karin…" he whispered. She didn't move, but her mouth started moving.

"Toushiro…" she said, her voice tiny. She was dreaming about him, and that made him smile.

Matsumoto got in, a million flowers next to her, but she muttered about having a million more outside. Toushiro sighed and got out, sending Karin a last smile of adoration.

**HT/KK**

"Finally!" burst Matsumoto eagerly as they stepped out of the room, sending the flower incrusted palace a last look. Toushiro looked at her and smiled at her for once.

"Thank you, Matsumoto. It would have taken me hours if it weren't for you." said Toushiro truthfully.

Matsumoto flushed for a little bit, and then waved it off.

"Not a problem, taicho. But if I can ask… Why?" she asked. Toushiro looked away, blushing.

"It's none of your business." he muttered. Matsumoto looked at him amusedly, smirked and crossed her arms.

"Well, if you want to propose to her so badly, you don't have to do something extravagant like that." she said, her voice indicating that she knew things.

"I want to! Besides—"then he stopped and looked at her like she was an elf rather than a fukutaicho. "How'd you know?"

"Oh, I found that ring in the office last night, and I sort of figured." she said. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"If you tell ANYONE about this, I am going to strip you off you're badge before you even realize it!" he said loudly. Matsumoto groaned.

"What! Taicho…" she begged. Toushiro sent her a death glare, which sobered her up immediately.

**HT/KK**

"Good morning!" burst an overly-chipper Karin that morning at the 11th squad dojo. Ikkaku, Yumichika and another guy were there and they seemed to have been fighting for hours now.

"Ah, Kurosaki-san!" shouted the guy. He had a twirl of a mustache, and he was incredibly ugly.

"Who are you?" asked Karin, a little bit rudely. The man groaned and bowed low.

"I am Aramaki Makizou! But you may call me MakiMaki." he said. Karin smiled at the name, and Ikkaku eyed her.

"Why so happy today, Karin?" he asked. Karin giggled, which caused both Ikkaku and Yumichika to raise an eyebrow at each other.

But before she could answer, the door banged open to reveal a very hasty looking Zaraki and a over-dosed with chocolate Yachiru.

‑­

"OHAAAYOOOOOOO!" cried Yachiru, who started laughing. Zaraki rolled his eyes.

"Good morning, taicho, fukutaicho." bowed the three. Karin however remained standing, and she was practically drooling.

Zaraki looked at her.

"The hell is wrong with this woman?" he asked. Then he grinned. "Probably needs a beating up."

Ikkaku sighed.

"We don't know. But she doesn't seem herself." he said. Yumichika stood in front of her and raised her chin. Karin giggled.

"She smells like flowers. Beautiful flowers to be exact." said Yumichika. Ikkaku went nearer and sniffed her.

"You're right! Karin! Karin!" he called out next to her ear. Karin looked at him dreamily.

"Yeah?" she asked slowly, her eyes unfocused.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" he burst. Karin snapped out and punched him flat on the face.

"Stupid! You don't have to scream next to my ear!" she cried, and she was about to punch him again, when he stood up and smirked.

"Now that is the Karin I know. What's going on with you?" he asked. Yumichika, MakiMaki, Zaraki and Yachiru were all eyeing her.

"I-I…" she blushed. Then she darted her eyes from the door to them. Then she dashed out.

Ikkaku rubbed his face and looked at them.

"Looks like they're facing the music." he said. Yumichika smiled.

"That's so beautiful." he said, his hands together.

"Ken-chan, I want more chocolate." begged Yachiru, with puppy dog eyes. Zaraki looked at her then grinned.

"I would give some to you, if I wanted you to kill the whole of soul society." he said, seeming to have ideas of his own. Yachiru groaned and looked over at Ikkaku, who immediately backed off.

**HT/KK**

Karin debated whether she should go visit Toushiro or just wait for him to pick her up later for their date. And she decided the latter. It would probably best for her to get prepared for whatever was going to happen later. She then flashed a smile as an idea popped in her mind.

"I HAVE TO VISIT GANJU!" she burst, and ran as fast as she could to the 11th squad again, so she could get actual permission.

‑­

When she finally got out of the gate to Rukongai, she whistled as she saw a million kids prying to get a glimpse of her.

"Look onii-chan! A shinigami!" a kid screamed at an embarrassed adult. Karin laughed inwardly.

The people from Rukongai were starting to get attached to her, and for some reason she felt certain warmth towards them. Probably the feeling of wanting to protect? She didn't know.

All she knew was that ever since she started at the academy, things were going so smoothly, that the poverty of Rukongai seemed to be not a problem for her.

She finally arrived at the house of the Shiba clan. She memorized the path years ago, and it was a cinch to her that she didn't need the usual boars to get her there.

She knocked on the door, and the two twins started bombarding her with a million questions, but before she could stutter the usual answer, Ganju popped out of nowhere and hugged her so tight she almost popped a vein.

"Ganju!" she gasped. Ganju laughed and let her go.

"Karin, what are you doing here?" he asked. Karin giggled and smiled at him.

"Toushiro is going to propose." she said. Ganju gaped at her then gave he another hug, but this time it was bone-crushing.

"Ganju!" she gasped again, but this time out of amusement.

"I can't believe it! But… How did you know?" he asked. Karin blushed.

"Fine, I have to admit, he didn't say anything. But I have a pretty good idea that he will. He gave me a million flowers this morning adorning my room!" she burst. Ganju raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't think you would be the type of person who would be interested in flowers, Karin-chan." he said. Karin laughed.

"Yeah, that makes the two of us! I didn't think he would send me flowers either. But I guess he really knows me better than I know myself." she said. Ganju smiled at her.

"My little sister's finally getting married, eh?" he said. Karin giggled. _Little sister?_

"Yeah, anyway, I was just wondering if you could help me make it extra special?" she asked. Ganju nodded.

"Say no more, I have the perfect idea." he said. Karin smiled, and then a hand grasped Ganju's shoulders which caused him to jump.

Kuukaku looked at Karin and grinned.

"Congratulations. And by the way, I have a better idea than his." she said. Ganju grimaced, as Kuukaku dragged Ganju inside. Karin followed.

**HT/KK**

‑­

Toushiro groaned at the pieces of paperwork that landed in front of him that afternoon.

"MATSUMOTO!" he screamed. But as usual, she was nowhere to be found. He scratched his head.

"I don't have time for this. I have to prepare for…" but then a glimmer caught his eye. On the floor was the ring he was supposed to give Karin.

The ring was a product of Sereitei, and only a few shinigami knew where to find it. Obviously, that would be him and Byakuya. The ring was lying on the floor, and it was gathered with dust.

He cursed and bent over to pick it up, and he wanted to kill the person who accidently knocked it over upon delivering the death named paperwork.

As he tried to clean it, it wasn't working. The diamond that sparkled seemed to be completely dirty, and he didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, his zanpakuto glimmered, and he took it out.

His head sparked an idea, and he immediately sealed his reiatsu, and ran to the nearest deserted forest.

**HT/KK**

Karin was walking back to the gate, amused at Kuukaku's brainy ideas.

"_Karin, I'm guessing that you want some fireworks?" she asked Karin, who nodded. Ganju mumbled something, but Kuukaku decided to ignore it this time._

"_Then I'll handle that. Just order the gate guardian clear for us to pass this evening, and I'll get everything straight. You get _back_ to Sereitei and get ready." She said._

She wondered what she planned to do, but as she was about to get nearer Sereitei, Hyourinmaru and his reiatsu popped out of nowhere.

"TOUSHIRO!" she cried. What was happening?

She ran as fast a she could to the gate and practically bounded to the reiatsu that she didn't want to feel at all.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro finally finished, and he pocketed the ring and was about to get back when a couple of reiatsu started coming to where he was, and to his shock, Karin was coming too.

"Oh damn! I should have realized that Hyourinmaru would get this much attention." he growled to himself, and he jumped to the bush nearby and sealed his reiatsu, in time to see Karin pop up out of nowhere looking worried.

Karin was looking at the ground that seemed to be partially frozen, and she clutched her arms.

"Toushiro… Why are you hiding in a bush?" she asked. Toushiro froze as the ground below him.

"What?" he whispered to himself. He hid his reiatsu perfectly, but how did she know he was there?

‑­

"Come on out. You know that you can't hide that pure white hair of yours." she said in amusement.

Toushiro groaned and stood up, his face beet red in embarrassment. So much for hiding.

Karin was looking at him and she was silently laughing, while Toushiro blushed.

"Toushiro, why ARE you hiding? And why DID I feel Hyourinmaru a few seconds ago?" she asked. Toushiro bit his lip and felt the ring in his pocket.

"Can't tell you, anyway, did you like the flowers?" he asked. Karin raised her eyebrow in the change of subject, but she responded eagerly.

"I loved them! How did you manage to get them all in my room?" she asked. Toushiro grinned and said,

"Let's just say, they were a handful." he said. Karin smiled at him.

Then she grabbed his arm and Toushiro smiled at her.

"Thanks." she said. Toushiro took her hands in his and hugged her. Then he sniffed her.

"You smell good, Karin." he said. Karin giggled as she eyed the dirty nails of Toushiro.

_Picked them by yourself, huh?_

**HT/KK**

Karin smoothed down the kimono that she managed to borrow from an all too willing Rukia, who was giggling all the while at the fact that Hitsugaya taicho was going to get married.

"Karin, you look great!" cried Rukia as she peeked out of her hands. Karin grinned, and blushed.

"Ya think? He would think that I was over-dressed." she said. Rukia smiled at her.

"Trust me, the fact that you are dressing up like this would make him want you more." said Rukia. Karin giggled and felt the nerves get to her.

Rukia fixed her hair, and Karin watched as her hair turned from her usual ponytail to a nice bun with pink sakura petals attached to it.

"Do you think he's going to propose?" asked Karin. Rukia looked at her then blinked.

"Yes, Karin. And by looks of what you told me about that night, he was about to." said Rukia, who sighed. "That's so romantic; I wish the one I love would propose to me too."

"You love someone, Rukia-chan?" asked Karin slyly. Rukia blushed, and then bit her lip.

"I-I uhh…"

"Don't worry, I won't tell Ichi-nii." said Karin, who watched as Rukia's already pink face turn redder than red.

‑­

"Was I that obvious?" she asked. Karin shook her head.

"I just realized actually when I first met you…" she said.

"Huh?" asked Rukia, her face still red. Karin grinned.

"You kissed him, didn't you?"

"_So, how do you know Toushiro?" asked Ichigo, ignoring Rukia._

"_He asked me out… We have a date tomorrow." said Karin. Rukia laughed then hugged her knees tightly._

"_Yeah right… Him asking a human? Impossible." she said._

"_He did." said Karin quietly._

_Rukia stared. Ichigo was slowly turning purple and he looked like he wanted to strangle someone._

"_What? Why that little white-haired kid! I forbid you to go out with such!" cried the over protective brother._

_Karin rolled her eyes and smirked at his feeble attempts to jump out the window (Rukia had him on a headlock)._

"_Let go of me Rukia! Im going to strangle that son of a—"_

_But then Rukia clamped his mouth shut and pushed him in the closet, she slammed it shut, the silence. A very long silence._

_Then they emerged. Ichigo was flushed. Rukia looked triumphant._

"_So, dinner anyone?" asked Rukia._

"W-Well… Not really." she said. Karin laughed. By the looks of it, she did.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro held the ring in his hand, practicing what he was going to tell her. Matsumoto, who was doing some paperwork (forced), watched and smiled as her taicho struggled for the right words that dared pour out of his mouth.

"K-Karin… I love you, and I want to be with you… Uhm… Forever!" he said loudly. Matsumoto burst out laughing.

"Taicho, that's too direct!" she said. Toushiro glared at her, and sighed.

"I don't know if I could do this." he said. Matsumoto looked at him sympathetically and said,

"If there was one thing you should know is that the right words always come from the heart. No amount of practice is needed to say what you want to say." she said. Toushiro looked at his ring that glimmered.

"You're right." he muttered. Matsumoto smirked and hugged her taicho, who struggled from her hug. Too tight!

‑­

"Matsumoto…" he growled. She grinned at him and let go.

"I'm so proud of you, taicho. You finally learned how to show emotions." she said.

"What are you talking about? I am a very emotional man." he said, his face showing no emotion at all. Matsumoto laughed.

"Whatever you say, taicho." she said and saluted. Toushiro pocketed the ring and crossed his arms.

"Get back to work." he said. Matsumoto groaned.

"Come on, I gave you good advice!" she said loudly. Toushiro smirked at her.

"I have advice for you. If you want to keep your seat, get back to work." he said. Matsumoto sighed.

"Yessir."

Toushiro smirked and walked out of the room, the ring vibrating in excitement.

**HT/KK**

The dark sky shined down at her as the kimono reflected it. Rukia left her a few hours ago, and she loved just being able to stay still, it was more comfortable. And she was waiting for Toushiro.

It's been a long time since there last date, and Karin was getting tired of the huge gaps every time, their last date was nothing much though, but it mattered a lot to her.

_Karin knocked on the door, and it opened instantly._

"_Karin." said Toushiro, and then he let her in._

"_Hey Toushiro, so what are we going to do?" she asked._

"_There is some peet saw." he said, and pointed to the direction of the kitchen._

"_You mean, Pizza." said Karin, with a giggle._

_Toushiro blushed and guided Karin to the kitchen, his hand on her waist._

She smirked at the thought and her legs sagged a bit. She was getting tired, but she couldn't sit on the floor because her kimono will be drenched with dirt. A breeze entered her mind, it was mixed with the scent of flowers and she closed her eyes.

"Toushiro…" she whispered in the air. The air whispered back.

"Karin?"

Karin opened her eyes in shock, as she saw Toushiro standing a few feet from her, his face etched with shock.

**‑­**

**HT/KK**

Toushiro walked over to the living quarters of the 11th squad, his legs wobbly, and he was nervous. How do you propose to a woman? He wished he asked Byakuya for some advice, but he knew that would be useless.

Finally, he arrived there, and spotted a beautiful woman standing in her porch, her eyes closed. Her hair was fixed in a bun, and she looked great.

Wait, was that Karin? There's no way.

He walked nearer, and her still closed eyes made him wonder who she really was. Then she called his name out.

"Toushiro…" she whispered. Toushiro raised an eyebrow and realized that this WAS Karin. In a kimono, no less. First, the shinigami outfit, now the kimono. She was definitely full of surprises.

"Karin?" he called out. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

Then she laughed nervously, and stepped down. But her foot caught on a rock, and she tripped.

"Wahhh!" she cried, she thought this was the end of her.

Until, Toushiro caught her with a swift movement of his arms. Karin gasped as she was an inch from his face. And he put her straight and looked at her worriedly.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Karin smirked.

"Concerned?" she said. Toushiro blushed.

"Of course!" he cried, his dignity intact. Karin laughed and took his hands.

"Come on, let's go. I'm starving." she said. Toushiro nodded, and his heart started beating a million beats a second.

**HT/KK**

Karin looked at Toushiro's face, and he seemed pale.

"Toushiro, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" asked Karin. Toushiro sniffed and gulped.

They food between them was gone, and it looked like he couldn't stall any longer.

"K-Karin…" he said. Karin raised an eyebrow as Toushiro grabbed her hands. They were cold.

She laughed inwardly.

"Yes, Toushiro?" she asked, getting excited for words.

"I-I…"

"Yes?"

‑­

"W-Will…"

"Yes?"

"Uhmm…"

"Toushiro, spit it out will you?" she cried, getting annoyed. Toushiro blushed and went down on bended knees. Karin blushed, and her eyes widened.

_OH MY GOD. _

_He really plans to propose!! _

_What to do… What to do!!_

_Okay, calm down. _

Karin gulped. Toushiro gulped.

_Come on, Hitsugaya._

_You're a captain for goodness sake, this should be a cinch!_

_Oh yeah? I don't remember studying proposal in the academy!_

_Oh yeah._

_Damn._

Toushiro mustered all the courage he had and took placed his hand in his pocket and took Karin's hand. Karin froze, but she was anticipating it already. It wasn't time to back out.

_Okay, Matsumoto said it would come out naturally._

_Baka! She never proposed to anyone!_

He cursed Matsumoto and wished that he practiced what to say. Too late.

He took the ring, which turned cold in his touch. Then he looked Karin in the eye, and she in turn, looked back.

"I remember when I first met you." he said. Karin nodded, and she smiled.

"I do too… I will never forget it."

"I never expected picking up a soccer ball and handing it back to a human would get me this far." he said. Karin giggled. "Kurosaki Karin, I love you."

Karin blushed and squeezed his hand.

‑­

"I love you more, Hitsugaya Toushiro."

"That's why I was hoping that maybe… If you want… You could be my wife?" he said, his words in a stutter. Karin stared at him in shock.

Okay, she expected this. But she didn't expect the feeling of love over flowing them. Toushiro was looking at her, and her body began to melt as he showed her the ring that was in his hands.

It was beautiful. The diamond was in a pure color blue, and it seemed to be moving. The ring band looked like it was frozen. Toushiro blinked up at her hopefully.

Karin didn't know what to say. It was a YES! But she couldn't say it… She was too stunned.

"Well… Do you want to?" he asked, his voice sounding a little too hopeful. Karin smiled at him, feeling some tears in her eyes.

"Do I want to?" she said. Toushiro gulped. "Hitsugaya Toushiro… You didn't even have to ask!"

Toushiro wasn't able to register what she said, when her body banged into his and their lips met together. Toushiro grabbed her shoulders and met with her eyes.

"You do?" he said, wanting to hear her yes. Karin smiled at him.

"Yes."

Then it looked like on cue, red fireworks shot up from out of nowhere and formed a heart.

"WHOA!" cried Karin in shock. Toushiro looked shocked too, but he was really too happy to care.

Then the fireworks formed into a million bursting soccer balls. Karin grinned up at it and said,

"That Ganju."

Toushiro looked at her happy face.

"What?" he asked. Karin shook her head and shrugged and buried her head on his shoulders. Toushiro hugged back, feeling happier than he ever did in his whole life.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

**HT/KK**

Karin shot up her futon and put a hand in her hair.

_Was it a dream?_

‑­

She closed her eyes and wished upon all the stars in heaven that it wasn't just a dream. Then she saw the flowers still gathered around her room and she laughed at herself and buried her head in her pillow.

"Hitsugaya Karin." she whispered and laughed like a maniac.

Then the door banged open, the hinges almost falling off to reveal Rukia and Matsumoto, their eyes wider than wide.

"Well?" they asked at the same time.

Karin laughed and a then she realized that her hands were heavy. She looked at it; the rock was shining on it.

_Toushiro put the ring on her dainty finger._

"_That has a piece of Hyourinmaru in it. So that means it has a piece of me. And when I'm not with you, you would know that I will always be." he said. Karin smiled and kissed him gently._

"_You don't have to say that. Because I will be with you forever, like it or not." said Karin. Toushiro laughed._

"_What have I gotten myself into?" he said, faking anxiousness. Karin laughed at him and kissed him harder._

"WELL?!" the two burst again. Karin looked at them and raised her hand. They both squealed and looked at it their eyes wide.

"It has Hyourinmaru in it!" cried Matsumoto in shock.

"So that's why I felt its reiatsu yesterday." said Rukia thoughtfully. Karin giggled.

"So Karin, how do you feel?" asked Matsumoto. Karin grinned at her, then lied down on her bed again. Then screamed with all her might,

"I'M GETTING MARRIED!"

Matsumoto and Rukia laughed and celebrated with her.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sat on the office, the pile of paperwork was still overwhelming.

"Who cares?" he said to them. Then he stood up and smiled at the early sun.

"I'm getting married." he said. Then it finally sank in to him.

The hell, he was!

**HT/KK**

Love, it had its ups and downs. It had its sacrifices, it had its guilt. It had its joy, and it had its sadness.

But no matter what happens with love, true love really does prevail the test of time.

Even if it takes them nine years to finally figure it out!


	38. The list

**Chapter 37: The list**

Karin rubbed her head in concentration. She was reading a particular list that she wasn't very fond off. It was the guest list for her wedding. Rukia was practically listing down everyone, and Karin was tired of it. She wanted a simple wedding with only the friends. But Rukia won't have any of that.

"What are you talking about!? You are marrying a TAICHO!" she boomed. Karin groaned and slapped her head.

"I'm sure he wants it to be private. He's not a celebrity, ya know." said Karin, annoyed. Rukia rolled her eyes and practically pushed the list to her.

"Fine, then. You do it." she said. Karin took it and eyed it. Just as she thought… Half of the list was people she didn't know. And the other half were barely close to her.

"Rukia!" cried Karin. Rukia sweat dropped.

"How should I know who to invite? Hitsugaya taicho knows a million people, so I wrote everyone he's connected too." said Rukia defensively.

Karin sighed.

"Maybe I should let him do the list." said Karin in surrender, and she placed the list on the table. He happened to be in a mission, and he allowed her to stay with Rukia at the Kuchiki mansion.

"Good idea." said Rukia happily. Karin closed her eyes for a second, and then opened it to find Rukia watching her.

"What?" she asked. Rukia bit her lip.

"Do you have a plan to tell your family?" she asked. Karin gulped.

"I told my mother, but I'm not sure how to tell the rest. After all, they are living in the real world." she replied. Rukia nodded.

"You should find a way to contact them. Or if you want, I'll request you a Senkai gate." said Rukia. Karin beamed.

"That would be great. Maybe I should visit them… It has been years since I saw Yuzu and dad." said Karin.

Rukia grinned back then stood up.

"I should probably get you back to the 11th squad." said Rukia. Karin scoffed.

"HEY! I'm not a kid." said Karin, half-laughing. Rukia smirked.

"I want to accompany you, madame." she said mockingly. Karin giggled.

"Alright."

Then they walked out, to the beaming sun, their laughter ringing in the air.

The list lay forgotten.

**HT/KK**

Byakuya never meddles. But at this particular day, he felt he had to check Rukia. The last few days, she seemed to be giddy and too excited for his taste. She even forgot to act like a Kuchiki in front of him.

He walked to the maze that was Kuchiki mansion, his feet moving in its normal pace. He wasn't that busy today, anyway. And Renji seemed to have done most of the work already.

As he reached to her door, he knocked and waited. No answer. Byakuya resisted the urge to bang the door. He never felt ignored in his whole life.

"Rukia?" he called out quietly. No answer. Byakuya was getting impatient, though it didn't show in his face.

He slid the door open, to find the room empty. He glanced around, and blinked in amazement as to find her room messier than the last time he had been there. The bed was still not fixed, and it looked like she just shed some skin. Mainly known as her clothes.

He sighed inwardly. He made a mental note to contact his servants and was about to leave when out of the corner of his eye, at the table was a note that looked as if it had a lot of exes and checks on it.

Byakuya went forward and picked the note up with a dainty finger. His eyes widened as he scanned the list and the heading.

Karin and Toushiro's wedding list

The name was drawn with red marker hearts on it, and he suspected it Rukia's. But a wedding…? Byakuya tucked the list neatly in his pocket and walked out, in hopes to find Rukia.

**HT/KK**

"Karin-chan!" cried Yumichika and he hugged her tightly. Karin grimaced as his feathers tickled her cheeks.

"Ahh… "She said quietly. Yumichika seemed to be excited. Ikkaku was standing over a couple of turned over beaten-up guys.

He too seemed to be amused and his bald seemed extra shiny. He walked forward, and threw the wooden sword to the side.

"So, you're getting married, eh?" he said. Yumichika was in tears.

Karin looked at Rukia's guilty face.

"Rukia!" she cried again. Rukia raised her hands in surrender.

"It slipped out!" she said. Ikkaku smirked.

"Congratulations. I wouldn't have believed it if I heared it from Renji… I mean Hitsugaya taicho… MARRIED?" he burst into laughter. Yumichika groaned.

Then he smiled at her.

"Congratulations…" he said. Karin grinned.

"Thanks. He proposed three days ago, so I don't have a marriage plan just yet." said Karin. Yumichika looked at her.

"Are you asking me to do the planning?" asked Yumichika, his face shining with happiness. Karin gulped.

"N-No… But…"

"I ACCEPT!" he boomed. Rukia giggled. Karin groaned.

"Fine… Just make sure it's not frilly or has beautiful written around." said Karin. Yumichika raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with beautiful?" he asked, his voice flat. Karin sweat dropped.

"Nothing is wrong… It's just that—"

Then the door banged open to reveal Renji, his jaw was dropped.

**HT/KK**

Byakuya paced faster, and found Renji still in the office, his face buried in a mountain of papers. He seemed to have slept.

"Renji." He called out, angrily. How dare he sleep?

Renji stirred and muttered,

"Not now… I have to defeat… Kuchiki… Taicho…"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

"RENJI!" he called out, this time in a loud voice. Renji jumped and fell off the chair with a loud bang. He stood up, and faced the angry face of Byakuya.

"Kuchiki-taicho!" he said loudly. Byakuya gritted his teeth.

"Why pray tell, are you sleeping on the job?" he asked. He didn't bother to mention the dream.

Renji laughed nervously.

"Y-you see—"

"Never mind. Have you seen Rukia?" asked Byakuya. Renji stared at Byakuya.

"No, taicho. Why?" he dared to ask.

"I have to consult her about this peculiar list." he replied, and he showed Renji the list with a swift hand.

Renji, ignoring the look on Byakuya's face, took the letter with a swipe. He gasped so loudly that Byakuya winced. (Inwardly)

"T-Taicho?" he asked. Byakuya nodded.

Renji beamed evilly and ran out of the room. Byakuya sighed, while a hell butterfly floated to him.

**HT/KK**

"Is it true?" he asked Karin, his eyes wide. Renji looked stupid, alright.

"What are you talking about?" asked Karin. Rukia eyed Renji.

"A wedding with Hitsugaya taicho!?" he cried. Yumichika and Ikkaku blinked. Rukia gasped.

"How'd you know? We weren't supposed to tell anyone until Toushiro gives an okay sign!" cried Karin. Then he looked at Rukia angrily.

"Hey! I didn't tell him, honest!"

Karin gasped. Rukia gasped.

"THE LIST!" they both said at the same time. Renji nodded.

"We left it." said Karin, to shocked to speak. Rukia gulped. How did he get it? Unless…

"Kuchiki taicho has it. He was looking for you, Rukia." said Renji.

Karin gasped. Rukia gasped. Karin cursed. Rukia cursed.

"Hey, that's not beautiful." said Yumichika. They ignored her.

"Nii-sama… Has the list?" chortled Rukia. This was worst than they taught.

"We have to get it back… And force him to swear not to tell!" cried Karin, frantically. Renji smirked.

"That's impossible. Right now, there is a captain's meeting, and most likely, he is going to tell everyone." said Renji. Rukia punched him.

"SHUT UP!" she cried. Karin groaned.

"We have to go there." said Karin, quietly. Rukia looked at her.

"W-What?" she asked.

"We… No. I have to go there." said Karin. "If everyone finds out, I have to at least be there to help Toushiro explain."

Rukia stopped strangling Renji. Renji nodded. Ikkaku and Yumichika had their arms crossed.

Karin ran out of the dojo, only to hear Renji call out her name.

"KARIN!" he cried. Karin looked at him, her hair swiftly moving with her speed.

"WHAT!?" she called back. Renji smirked.

"Congratulations."

Karin grinned at him, and ran faster.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed as he just came back from a mission. He was exhausted, and all he wanted was to see Karin. Then he groaned when a hell butterfly made its way to him.

As usual, a captain's meeting was in place. He stood up from his chair, and exited the office. Matsumoto was busy doing paperwork.

"We have a meeting." said Toushiro. "The captains, I mean. So don't leave this room."

Matsumoto eyed the paperwork then nodded. It was best to follow instructions when her taicho was as tired as hell.

Toushiro walked off, and made his way to the 1st squad.

**HT/KK**

Karin barged into the 10th squad office, and Matsumoto jumped out of her wits.

"Karin!" she cried happily. Karin looked around, Toushiro wasn't there yet.

"Where is he?" asked Karin. Matsumoto didn't have to ask who she was talking about.

"Actually, he was here a minute ago. He just came back from a mission. Then the sotaicho called for a captain's meeting. Why?" she asked. Karin groaned and ran out, Matsumoto looked flustered.

"What now?" she asked herself.


	39. Explainations

**Chapter 38: Explainations**

Toushiro walked slowly. It was a beautiful day, one that came rarely because of the usual bitter coldness that wrapped him every winter. Today, the air was breezy and the snow was not yet poised to drop on him just yet. But he presumed it would, somehow.

Then he thought about Karin. He couldn't stop thinking about her… Her face, her smile, her tomboyish attitude towards everyone else… He loved her more than he loved himself, he thought.

Even when he was at a mission, Karin just popped out of nowhere and distracted him in the most wrong times. He honestly thought that maybe she was too much of a drug to him… But then again, he couldn't live without her.

"Karin…" he whispered loudly for the nth time that day. Though he felt that she was the one, he still hoped that maybe, just maybe things wouldn't be so complicated.

He told Matsumoto.

"Well, I proposed to her." said Toushiro, quietly. Matsumoto looked at his tired happy eyes, then bounced up and down hugging him, without thinking.

She expected him to push her off, but to her surprise, he hugged her back… Somewhat tightly too. Toushiro then pulled away gently from her bewildered face and looked at her expectantly. Matsumoto blinked.

"Congratulations, taicho!" she said, happily.

Toushiro sighed inwardly. Slow reactions, as usual.

"Thanks." he said.

And he knew Matsumoto, and her big mouth, told Rukia. But then again, they were only two. He had to explain it all to everyone in the Gotei 13. Not to mention, every single shinigami living in Sereitei.

He wondered if Karin told anyone else.

"_WHIIIIIIITTEEEEEYYYY-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN_!" screamed, boomed, shrieked someone from behind him. He winced at her loud voice, and he didn't have to guess who she was at all.

He turned around slowly, to face a flushed look on Hinamori.

"What? And will you keep your voice down?" he ordered angrily. Hinamori huffed.

"Hey, I was only going to congratulate you." she said, half-amused at the pinking face of Toushiro.

"How'd you know?" he asked in a whisper.

Hinamori eyed him, and then her mouth turned into a big "O".

"Nobody knows? But how did Abarai-kun know?" she asked. Toushiro gulped.

_ABARAI KNOWS!?_

_How did he freaking know!?_

Toushiro turned away, his face looking slightly hyperventilating.

_How many did Karin tell?_

He heared Hinamori sigh loudly behind him.

"Congratulations, anyway." she said, though for some weird reason, she didn't sound too happy.

Toushiro shook it off; maybe she was only annoyed at the fact that he was practically ignoring her.

Then when he looked back at her, she was gone. He raised an eyebrow. She was acting pretty weird these days. One second she would be happy to talk to him, but the next she would be all sulky and stuff.

He shook his head. It wasn't time to think about her now. And so was the issue with Karin. He was late for the meeting.

He turned from his heel and shunpoed to the nearest shortcut.

**HT/KK**

A little farther away, Karin was running like an idiot from place to place screaming Toushiro's name.

She knew she had to stay discreet, but this was an emergency. For some reason, she was a little scared. Not because of the list… But because she had a little punch that if she didn't find Toushiro now, she would have to talk to him and the rest of the captains at the meeting, and she wasn't all for the hey-im-getting-married-and-Im-telling-you-now-before-you-guys-freak situation.

"TOUSHIRO!" she boomed yet again.

_Okay, relax. Relax. You don't have to go to that meeting. You could wait for him._

_No Baka! If you do, Toushiro will have to explain alone in front of all of them, and he might get mad at you._

_And since when did I care if he gets angry?_

_Hmm… Let's see… Since he never did!_

_He does… He always gets angry to Rangiku-san._

_She's different, Kurosaki._

_Yeah. So?_

_BAKA!_

_Okay, okay. I can't believe my inner-me is fighting me._

_**Shut up.**_

Karin sighed loudly. She knew she was right, and she had to do it… Before it's too late. Remember, the truth will set you free!

She cursed herself, and then ran faster as she saw in the blurred vision the 1st squad in all its glory.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro pushed open the door, announcing his presence. He thanked himself, that not everyone was there and it looks like he wasn't the only one who had to do something along the way.

Everyone was there, except for the usually punctual Kuchiki taicho and even the sotaicho wasn't there.

Wait…?

"Where is Yama-jin?" he asked Kyouraku taicho. He looked at him, and then smiled.

"It seems that Kuchiki taicho has news, and he just told the sotaicho." he said. Then added, "I bet it was pretty big."

Toushiro grimaced. What could this be now? Another attack at the real world…? He didn't have time to go there; he had to plan a wedding for goodness sake!

His franticness seemed to have shown in his face because Kurotsuchi taicho actually stared at him and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Hitsugaya taicho… Do you want to be my experiment? I have never in my whole history seen such a bewildered and shocked look join together, and I am very interested in how it turns out. In fact, I will give you a deal… I will—"he said.

Toushiro frowned at him.

"Not that it doesn't sound tempting, but no thanks." he said, in an annoyed voice.

People meddle too much for their own good.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Karin's reiatsu spiked like crazy, as if she was all-over soul society.

"Karin." He whispered, a little anxious on what is going on outside the1st squad.

"Karin? Who's Karin?" asked Kyouraku. Zaraki, who was standing like a throne beside him, laughed so loudly that all the other captains turned their elite heads to him. "Isn't she the ryoka years ago?"

Zaraki nodded vigorously, his bells clinking merrily.

Everyone looked like they couldn't believe it.

Toushiro growled menacingly at himself for even uttering her name loudly. Kenpachi closed his eyes for a second, and then when he opened it, it was shining with utter pride.

"Kurosaki Karin is the 4th seat member in my squad!" he boomed. Toushiro rolled his eyes. Zaraki then grabbed Toushiro's shoulder. "I've been hearing things, Hitsugaya taicho… And I am pretty interested in what ya have to say."

"What things?" asked Soi Fon loudly. Everyone else looked like they had the same question etched in their heads.

Zaraki smirked. Toushiro gulped.

"I heared that—"but then he couldn't finish. The sotaicho and Byakuya entered. They both had peculiar expressions on their faces. Yama-jin had an expression of something that said that he was happy with the news. Byakuya, however, had a grim unexplainable expression on his.

Toushiro felt a sudden uneasiness as Byakuya looked over at him for a fleeting second with a knowing glare. The sotaicho too looked at him, and this sent shivers down his spine.

The sotaicho was about to open his mouth, when suddenly the door opened with a bang. Everyone jumped a little, and their mouths dropped. Well, except for Byakuya and the sotaicho. (They looked like they were expecting it)

Toushiro almost lost his balance at the sight of her. Karin, her face so sweaty that she looked like she ran a mile, burst into the room. When she saw Toushiro, she wiped her forehead with her sleeve and sighed.

"Toushiro…" she muttered to him, as she arrived. Everyone was watching her approach him, and Toushiro felt the need to crawl under a rock.

"How dare you not address him the proper way, you little brat—"that was Soi Fon, but Yama-jin silenced her with a glare.

Toushiro bent his head to her, and gulped another time at her expression.

"What is it?" he hissed. Then added, "You know you're not supposed to be here! You should have waited for me to get back."

Karin grimaced at him.

"I would have, if I didn't want you to know the situation before they do!" she whispered loudly. Everyone was staring at them.

"Can we please talk somewhere else for a minute, Toushiro?"

He nodded, and then excused himself. As he grabbed her arm, and led her farther away, he felt his heart thump like he danced the night away.

When they arrived at the nearby tree, a great deal farther from the 1st squad, he turned to her with his arms crossed sternly.

"What is it?" he asked. Karin breathed heavily.

"Kuchiki taicho knows." she said. Toushiro looked taken aback, and she watched his eyes turn from green to blue.

"What was that?" he asked again, making sure that what he heard was right. Karin rubbed her head impatiently.

"Byakuya knows!" she burst. Toushiro bit his lip.

"How?" he asked, his tone toneless.

"He got our marriage list… The one Rukia and I have been working on all day." said Karin, guilt etched in her very serious features.

Toushiro sighed.

"Damn it… I didn't want to tell them this early." he said quietly.

_So that's why he was with the sotaicho._

Karin took his hands, and he gripped it willingly.

"What do we do?" she asked, soothingly. Toushiro looked at her, and then looked away.

"We explain, and then we just have to wait for their reactions. I'm sure they wouldn't…" he stopped. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"They wouldn't… What?"

"I'm sure they wouldn't take in account what happened 4 years ago…" he said. Karin looked away too.

"Maybe… I mean, we are legal now… Right?" she asked. Toushiro grinned at her.

"We are… And don't worry, if they try to hurt you… I would make them pay." he said, cockily. Karin grinned up at him, and then planted a small kiss on his lips. He kissed her back.

"Thanks for understanding, Toushiro…" she said. He hugged her tightly, smelling her hair in the process.

"No need to say that… I would have to explain to them sooner or later, and I guess I have to now…" he said. Karin gave him a wicked smile.

"WE have to explain." she muttered. Toushiro nodded, and then picked her up. (Bridal style)

Karin shrieked loudly, and then laughed as Toushiro carried her up with amazing speed.

She looked up at his amazingly handsome features. His green eyes were like a rainbow, changing its color with the light of the sun. His pure white hair, slowly turning silver with every turn.

She couldn't really say she knew him more than anyone else in the world, but she was pretty sure that she was the only one who knew and saw the vulnerable side of him.

She closed her eyes, and allowed herself to absorb him…

Toushiro smiled at her, as she watched her close her eyes and breathe in heavily.

"Karin?" he asked. Karin made a sound that she was listening, her eyes still closed gently.

"I love you…" he said. Karin slowly opened her eyes. Immediately, Toushiro registered the slow change of her face color, from porcelain white to pink.

"I love you too." she whispered back.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro placed her down gently, as he fumbled with his cloak. Karin sighed.

"Don't be so fussy, I'm sure it will be alright." she said. But she herself was incredibly nervous. Toushiro nodded, and then pushed the door open.

Everyone was standing quietly, and as if in cue, when they entered, they all averted their eyes from the sotaicho.

"Hitsugaya taicho." greeted Yama-jin. Karin gripped his hand tighter.

The captains were all looking at the hands that were grasped together, and it seems that not everyone was shocked to find them that way.

"Kuchiki taicho, I think you know things… And I'm assuming you do too, Zaraki taicho." said Toushiro. The other captains were not afraid to show their interest.

"Such news is not off my concern, but it has come to my attention that you are getting married… Hitsugaya taicho." said Byakuya. Collective gasps resounded in the room.

Karin looked as if she swallowed a hotdog in one bite.

"And to Kurosaki Karin… I wouldn't have believed it off you." muttered Byakuya. Toushiro stared at him in anger, and his arms were shaking menacingly.

Byakuya looked at him, and then turned his eyes to Karin and her shaking figure. He realized he just uttered the same words that his family members told him.

Then he looked over at the sotaicho, his face unreadable and he recalled their conversation a few seconds ago.

**HT/KK**

_Byakuya stormed into the 1st squad, and realized he was the earliest. This pleased him, for he had to speak to the sotaicho. If what was clutched in his hands true, then the best thing to do was inform the sotaicho before anyone else._

_He knocked gracefully in the admin office, and a reply came from the other side of the door._

_"Come in." it was raspy, and somewhat still powerful. Yama-jin, more than 1000 years old, never lost his touch._

_Byakuya came in, his cloak billowing in the breeze that came from the window. Yama-jin looked up at him, his hands wrapped around his cane. He was sitting on the couch, and he didn't seem to be busy._

_"Ah, Kuchiki taicho… I expect there to be news, because you can't seem to have the patience of waiting to tell me in the meeting room?" he asked. He didn't sound angry at all, but he seemed amused._

_Byakuya scoffed. He didn't have time to laugh. In fact, he never laughed. Since he started at the Gotei 13, Yamamato Genryuusai was always there, an amused sort of voicing out whenever Byakuya showed any emotion._

_"In fact, I do have news." he replied. The sotaicho raised his eyebrow._

_"And why is it a matter of privacy?" asked Yama-jin. Byakuya smoothened out the list, and placed handed it over to him._

_Yama-jin looked at it for a second then reached out to take it with one wrinkly hand. He surveyed it for a whole minute, no emotion in his old, tired eyes._

_Byakuya waited patiently, waiting for a show of emotion from his senpai. Then suddenly, Yama-jin looked up at him, a small smile on his face._

_"I do not understand, what is of vital importance in showing me this?" he asked. Byakuya resisted the urge to scream in frustration._

_"Hitsugaya taicho… Is getting married… To Kurosaki Ichigo's sister." said Byakuya slowly, as if he were digesting every word._

_Then to his surprise, Yama-jin actually chuckled._

_"Ah, yes. The ryoka… Or should I say the exiled ryoka. Don't act so shocked at this news, Kuchiki taicho. We all knew he had a relationship with her." said Yama-jin. Byakuya stared at him._

_"But sir, have you not banned her from Sereitei?" he asked. Yama-jin smiled at him._

_"I see you have noticed that. But I knew she was coming to study here." he replied. Byakuya looked shell-shocked._

_"Then how come you let her? I thought you—" _

_"I did. I banned her. But, when I checked the list for the latest applicants, and I saw her name… I got her in, without hesitation." he said. "I am an old man, and I knew full well that I should not stand between two lovers, especially when I shouldn't."_

_Byakuya didn't reply. Yama-jin continued,_

_"I banned her in the first place, because she was a ryoka. I do not stand for ryoka, until they prove themselves with good intention. But I do not a have a reason to stop a fellow shinigami from loving another."_

_"I see." replied Byakuya, not knowing what to say._

_"I expected him to propose." said Yama-jin. Byakuya blinked at him. _

_"How?"_

_"Have you noticed my old looks, Kuchiki taicho? Though I am 1000 years old, a person living in Soul Society will never age." he said. "I remembered when I first met you, why, you were so young, I believed you a teenager. And when you told me that you were getting married to Hisana, I knew already."_

_Byakuya raised an eyebrow. He wasn't getting it at all._

_"Love is a way of aging here in soul society." said Yama-jin. "I loved my wife for 500 years, and after her death, I never stopped loving her. That's why I never stopped aging."_

_Then it struck him, love ages us. Everyone feeds of love from someone else, therefore they mature. _

_"I see that what I am telling you is ringing some bells." said Yama-jin, his face looking amused._

_"Hitsugaya taicho does look older, doesn't he?" said Byakuya. Yama-jin smiled._

_"I would say, he looks a whole lot mature. I knew the reason why Hitsugaya taicho looked like a child, was because he never seemed to be able to find someone to love. Then when, 9 years ago, he started aging… I was pleased to find him like that." he said._

_"So, what do we do?" asked Byakuya. Yama-jin looked at him._

_"I think we should wait for him to be the one to tell us." said Yama-jin. Byakuya smirked inwardly._

_"Maybe, or I can let him tell us." said Byakuya. Yama-jin chuckled again._

_"I do not know what you are thinking, Kuchiki taicho… But I think it's time for him to let his little secret out." he said._

_Byakuya gave a small, tiny, you-can-not-see-it-with-your-naked-eye smile._

_"Anyhow, I think we should leave my office, we are late for our little meeting." said Yama-jin, walking away._

_"If I may ask… What is it about?" he asked. Yama-jin looked at him and slammed his cane down loudly._

_"Curiosity killed the cat, Kuchiki taicho. And your cat is committing suicide now, with your gossip and all." he replied. Byakuya looked taken aback. Then the sotaicho raised an eyebrow, his mouth playing a joke._

_"Let's go." he said. Byakuya nodded, and followed him in his wake._

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked over at Karin, and squeezed her hand support heating between their entwined hands. Karin looked back, and looked over at Byakuya.

"In fact, we are getting married." said Toushiro said, Karin nodded, and watched their expressions change to different kinds.

"Am I being played on?" asked Shunsui. Toushiro shook his head, realizing not everyone knew about their relationship.

Soi Fon didn't look too surprised; in fact she was wearing a mask of pure distaste. Byakuya and Yama-jin shared a look, and they both seemed to know too. Kenpachi was happily trying to congratulate Karin, his gift a to-the-death match. Toushiro shook him off. Ukitake was smiling at Toushiro, though he didn't know, he seemed to be pleased. Kyouraku was raising his hands in applaud and was muttering something to Kurotsuchi about sake bottles being passed everywhere. Komomura didn't seem to care much, but he too seemed to be interested about the sake. Unohana was smiling serenely.

"Congratulations, Hitsugaya taicho." said Yama-jin. Then added, "Might I say, I am not very surprised about it."

"Thank you." muttered Toushiro, blushing. Kurotsuchi said something loudly about wanting to make an experiment on him. Everyone ignored him.

"You too, Kurosaki Karin." said Yama-jin. Karin gulped and she too blushed, but was way pinker than Toushiro.

"You know, I didn't know that Toushiro had a relationship." said Ukitake loudly, and then patted Toushiro so hardly on the back that he almost fell off balance. "So that's why you look older."

"Huh?" asked Toushiro. Ukitake winked at him.

"Enough of this, you may talk about this later. We have an important matter to discuss, and it is about the real world." said Yama-jin.

Karin let go of Toushiro, and went was about to bid herself goodbye, when Yama-jin stopped her.

"I think you would like to hear about this, Kurosaki-san." he said. Karin looked at him, and Toushiro too seemed to be a little bit anxious.

"O-Okay." she said. Why did it concern her? Was it about her family?

"Kurosaki Ichigo, is being given the highest honors to become a shinigami before his death, and I want you and Hitsugaya taicho to tell him about it, so that you can seal him with an official badge. He doesn't seem to need to be a student at the academy, and it would be best to appoint him as a taicho when he dies." said Yama-jin. "The badge will direct him to Sereitei immediately after his death, and we would like him to be informed so that he wouldn't be too confused."

"Really?" asked Karin, she was excited. Not only was she going to see her family again, but she was going with Toushiro! It was a perfect time to tell them about their marriage. Toushiro seemed to be thinking the same way.

"Yes, and I assume that you will be there to inform them about… Your marriage." said Yama-jin, his eyes twinkling.

"But, why only now? You could have assigned it a few years ago." said Toushiro, and everyone else was thinking the same thing.

"Let's just say, I knew that one day it would be helpful for someone." He replied. He looked at Byakuya for a fleeting second. And Byakuya understood.

Karin and Toushiro looked at each other for a few seconds, a smile playing on their mouths.

"And I might say, you should bring Kuchiki Rukia with you." said Yama-jin. Byakuya looked a little angry at that suggestion.

"Why is that?" he asked. Yama-jin smiled at him.

"She looks older… Don't you think?" he asked. Byakuya's eyes widened. She did look a little more like Hisana each day, and she did grow taller in the process.

"Yes." he said. Karin and Toushiro looked at each other again, this time with their eyebrows raised. But maybe, Karin knew what they were talking about.

"By the way, I would like to request something, Hitsugaya taicho." said Ukitake, a mischievous smile on his face.

"What is it?" he asked. Karin stared at him.

"KISS!" he boomed. Everyone jumped; even Byakuya looked shocked at his request. But all the same, they wanted to see them kiss.

Toushiro gulped. Karin gulped. Toushiro leaned forward and was about to kiss her on the cheek, when Karin grabbed his shoulders and kissed him like she never did before.

Everyone dropped their jaws.

**A/N: Next chapter will be posted in a week. **


	40. Back to Karakura town

**A/N: Late again. Gomen! Anyway, I don't have much to say, but I really loved making this chapter. And there is a bed scene. NO! Not THAT bed scene, like I said before, I don't put hentai or lemon in my fics. This is one of my favorite scenes because it's simply sweet. ENJOY! REVIEW! COOKIE?**

**Chapter 39: Back to Karakura town**

"W-Wait! Wait!" cried Renji. Karin sweatdropped as Renji rolled on the floor from laughing. It wasn't only him, Rukia too was laughing. Matsumoto looked dumbfounded.

"Oh come on, I didn't go over-board!" growled Karin. She just retold the happenings in the meeting. It was the day after, and Renji, Rukia and Matsumoto were hanging out at the 10th squad office. Toushiro was out again

and he was very lucky to be out. Renji boomed again from laughter. Karin sighed.

It wasn't only them, she still remembered the reactions of all the captains, plus Toushiro.

_Karin let go of Toushiro. His face was redder than blood, and he looked like he didn't want to be there. She looked around slowly. Byakuya and the soaticho were staring, and they were fighting the urge to smile. Ukitake and the Zaraki were gaping, and this was kind of funny. The other captain's looked like they couldn't believe it at all._

_Karin laughed nervously. Toushiro bowed at the sotaicho and dragged Karin out of the office, while hearing the cheers and wolf-whistles from his fellow captains. But then, out of the corner of her eyes, as Toushiro dragged her, she could she a small smile creeping on his still red face._

"Oh yes you did. I bet nobody will ever let Hitsugaya taicho forget that." said Matsumoto eagerly. Rukia nodded. Karin looked at her. She still hasn't told her about the Karakura town trip, because she wanted it to be a surprise. She knew that Rukia will be so happy, that she will actually forget that Renji and Matsumoto were there. Karin wanted to wait until they were alone, but it looked like that would take some time.

"I still can't believe it." said Rukia.

"Well, I was so happy that I couldn't help it. Can you blame me?" said Karin. Matsumoto patted her on the back.

"Aww... I can't believe you two could finally do PDA!" she cried. Karin raised an eyebrow. What was PDA?

_(A/N: You, my dear reader, would probably know what PDA means... But seeing as our Karin here is a little un-knowing about the little thing called 'love' she can't really help but not know this.)_

Matsumoto and Rukia stiffled their laughter. Renji boomed with laughter times two. Karin couldn't get it at all.

"You don't know what PDA means?" asked Rukia. Karin felt foolish, and tried to rack her brains for the so-called PDA. Still, there was none. She wondered if Toushiro knew, and wanted to ask him. She shook her head. Rukia grinned at her.

"I think it's best you don't know." said Rukia. Karin glared at her.

"What does it mean?" she asked, but this time roughly.

"Never mind." said Matsumoto. Renji and Rukia bit their lips.

"Ehe-he." said Rukia. She knew what PDA meant. It was 'public display of affection', something they knew Karin wouldn't want to do. So did Toushiro, and they were too much of a meddling group to even shut their mouths about it.

"Come on!" cried Karin. They shook their heads and ran out of the office, Karin chasing after them.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed. Today was busier than yesterday, he had to help his 10th squad people to practice at their dojo. And as far as he knew, the rookies were all in-capable of winning against him. As hope would come, he wished he was with Karin, and wanted more than anything to smell her hair and caress her body. Sure, they haven't done what everyone would think they have done, but he just couldn't put into his mind why he can't come up with a way to get Karin to do it with him.

His imagination would go wild more than usual than ever. And sometimes, he just wanted to grab her and mark her with his kisses, none to gently, but enough to release enough pleasure in her pores. He sighed again. He was a patient man, he could wait.

Then when he looked at his side he boomed angrily. Someone made a gaping hole on the wall, and he was not happy about it.

**HT/KK**

Finally, after about an hour of talking and playing with them, Karin sat on the downy grass and watched Rukia sleep. Matsumoto and Renji said they had to get back to work, and she knew why. The vice-captains were given enough work to be made a taicho these days, seeing as there were three captain's slots un-occupied. They both had dark circles under their eyes, and Karin felt a little sympathetic for them, but it always went away, when they tease her for not knowing what PDA meant.

She made a mental note to ask Toushiro about it.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on that, Rukia and Karin were not alone, and it was time for her to tell her about the trip to the real world. Karin felt a sort of satisfaction knowing she knew something more than her, after all the PDA thing got her wired... A lot.

Karin nudged Rukia from the side, and she woke up immediatley, almost scaring Karin.

"Eh?" she asked, and rubbed her eyes. Karin giggled.

"They're gone." said Karin. Rukia looked around quickly and sighed.

"Damn it, they left me again." said Rukia. Then added quickly, "Not that there is anything wrong with that."

Karin laughed.

"Don't worry about it... Listen, there is something else that the sotaicho told me yesterday." said Karin. Rukia's eyes widened.

"NO! Don't tell me--" she said, shocked. Karin shook her head.

"No, he didn't say that we were illegal, or that he had to kill either one of us... Or whatever you are thinking." said Karin, a note of amusement in her tone. Rukia looked at her seriously.

"What is it about?" she asked. Karin looked around and bent closer, so that her lips were near her ears and whispered,

"He wants you to come with us to the real world." she whispered. Rukia looked taken-aback.

"Why? Why me?" she asked, a little eager. Karin laughed.

"Well, he didn't say specifically, but since it's about Ichi-nii, I think he could tell." said Karin. Rukia looked pale.

"He knows that I like him?" asked Rukia. Karin nodded.

"Or at least, I think he does." she said, "He wants us to present Ichigo a chance to make him a taicho as soon as he dies. It's some sort of announcement to him, since we have three captains slots open, I think he wanted him to fill in one."

"That's right. I could have guessed that... But still... How did he know?" she asked. Karin smirked.

"He knew about me and Toushiro in the first place, I think he knows everything that happens around here. I wouldn't be surprised if I find out that the walls have ears." said Karin. Rukia looked at the wall near them, and inched farther away.

"But, Nii-sama wouldn't approve." said Rukia, sadly. Karin tapped her.

"He was there, remember? He actually convinced your 'nii-sama'." said Karin. Rukia's eyes widened like balls.

"Really? How?" she asked. Karin shrugged.

"I don't have a single idea."

**HT/KK**

It's already sundown, and Toushiro was tired to bits. Every single rookie in the dojo tired him out, and his voice was hoarse from all the shouting. As far as he knew, they were all scared of him, despite the fact that he was smaller than most of them.

He walked slowly back to his living quarters, when to his surprise, Karin was sitting on his front steps. The paper-thin door was opened, and his bed was crumply. Ever since yesterday, Karin practically moved to Toushiro, since they spent the night together. But no, they didn't have sex. They just spent the whole night cuddling.

_"Toushiro, are you sure it's alright if I sleep in your room?" she asked. Toushiro looked at her, then nodded._

_"Of course, it's not like we have anything to hide." he said. Karin smiled at him, then took his hand as they walked to his room. As Karin changed into her clothes in his washroom, Toushiro felt his heart beat a million a second. What was he so afraid about? It's not like they were going to do it._

_He muttered to himself to calm down, and as Karin opened the door, he jumped to the bed and pretended to be asleep. He heared Karin giggle and slid in the bed beside him._

_"Toushiro." she breathed in his ear. Toushiro shivered. Karin smiled._

_"What?" he asked as he rolled over to her side and faced her grinning face._

_"Close the lights will you?" she said. Toushiro almost sighed in relief. Karin laughed inwardly._

_"Alright." he said, and closed the lamp beside him. As he rolled back to his place, Karin took his hand and squeezed it._

_"Toushiro?" she breathed again. Toushiro rolled yet again to her side, but this time she wasn't smiling. But her face was so serene with her eyes closed, his heart melted._

_"Yes?" he asked. Karin didn't open her eyes, but she gripped his hands again._

_"I love you." she said. Toushiro smiled at her._

_"I love you too." _

_Then without further ado, he wrapped his arms around her and they woke up, in the same position, both knowing that it was the most perfect thing, that even the closest of friends wouldn't know about it._

As he walked closer, he found that her eyes were closed and she was snoring a bit. Toushiro fighted the urge to laugh. As he picked her up effortlessly, he put her on their bed and kissed her forehead, while whispering in her ear.

"Like I said, You look beautiful when you sleep." he said. Then he went to the washroom to change, not knowing that she was awake, and she heared every word. She opened her eyes and grinned at the closed washroom door.

**HT/KK**

In a week, Karin, Toushiro and Rukia were in front of the senkei gate, a hell butterfly each. As usual, nobody was present to let them out, but the one guard. He opened the gate for them and they stepped in anxiously. Karin and Toushiro's hands were wrapped around each other, and both of their hands were sweaty with anxiety.

Karin has never been back to the real world in four years, so naturally she was anxious and a whole lot nervous. Toushiro too was nervous, mainly because he knew he had to do the talking to woo her father to give them her blessings. As far as he knew, Ichigo already gave his blessings to them. Rukia was nervous about seeing Ichigo again. Though she didn't exactly admit her feeling to him, there was still the solid fact that both of them haven't confessed to each other.

As they walked through the blinding light, Karin grinned at Toushiro supportively, as if she knew what he was thinking. They're eyes connected for a few long seconds, and they didn't have to talk at all to give each other the support and comfort that was their love.

Then suddenly, they spotted the oval gate leading to the real world.

Karin gulped.

Toushiro gulped.

Rukia gulped.

"This is it." muttered Karin. Toushiro sighed and nodded. Rukia breathed heavily.

"Let's go!" she cried.

And then with one short second of pure blinding white light, they were back. Karin blinked.

**HT/KK**

"Are you okay?" asked Rukia. Karin looked around, not answering her. The whole place, it was so familiar to her, the memories cascading down her after four years was over-whelming. They seemed to have come down right next to the Kurosaki household. The house. It was there, just standing like it didn't care that one of their dead relatives came back home. A kid started running past them, not even looking at them with strange looks, and realized the kid couldn't see them.

She sighed. She just wanted to change and see her family now. Toushiro them pulled her hand at the other direction. Karin glared at him.

"I want to see my family!" cried Karin. Toushiro sighed.

"I know you do, but I think it would be best to get a gigai first." he said. Rukia nodded, looking directly at the closed window, known as Ichigo's room.

"You're right..." she said, remembering that Yuzu couldn't see ghosts very well... And it would probably be better if they were dressed as normal people.

They walked to the Urahara store and knocked slowly on the door. It opened immediately, and Karin found herself face-to-face with none other than Jinta. Jinta, the red haired brat from before. Jinta, the now hot guy with a tall muscular build.

Karin's eyes twitched as Jinta looked at her from side-to-side trying to remember where exactly did she meet this beautiful bombshell. Toushiro glared at Jinta for staring at his fiancee too long, and Rukia was giggling. Jinta heared her giggle and looked at her, then his eyes widened.

"Rukia-san!" he boomed. His voice was much deeper now. After all he was 20 years old.

"That's right. And I assume you remember Karin and Hitsugaya taicho." she said. Jinta's eyes widened even more, and he pointed at her face accusingly.

"Her? Karin? No frikin' way! She is too hot to be that tomboy!" he cried. Toushiro wanted to punch his face. Karin blushed, but she too wanted to punch his face.

"Yes, that's her. Now let us in, Jinta." ordered Rukia. Toushiro glared at him.

"Now." said Toushiro. Jinta looked at him.

"You look taller." said Jinta. In fact, Toushiro was taller than Jinta.

"Thanks for noticing, now let us in!" ordered Toushiro. Jinta sighed.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh. I have to go to work now, anyway." he said. Karin stared at him.

"You work now?" she asked.

"Yeah, since I am 20 years old, Kisuke-san expects me to pay the bills. And I see that you are now a shinigami." he said, looking at her zanpakuto. Karin nodded proudly.

Suddenly, a rustle and a thump. More thumps. It sounded like heavy footsteps, then the door to the house opened, and out came a tall woman with black hair that was cascading down her slender back.

"Ururu!?" cried Rukia. This was not Ururu. Where was the pink blushie things? And the sad looking eyebrows?

"Rukia?" she asked. Her voice was deeper, more mature. Yes, Ururu is 23 in this story now.

Rukia inched closely, so that's why she didn't look that sad anymore, she got her eyebrows fixed.

Karin grinned at Ururu.

"Hey!" she greeted. Ururu looked at her for a second then gave her a tight hug.

"You look great, Karin-chan." she said. Karin gasped as she felt her breasts on hers. OMG, they both had breasts now!

"Hey, do you know where Urahara is?" asked Rukia. Ururu let go of Karin, and ran into the house.

In a few seconds, he was out there. He didn't look different at all. In fact, he was still the same, with the stupid hat and sandals.

"Ahh." he said, he sureveyed Karin, Toushiro and Rukia. "I see."

"What?" they asked at the same time.

"I knew you were coming here." he said.

"Okay. Now give us our gigais." said Toushiro.

"Hitsugaya taicho! You look taller." he said. Toushiro grimaced as he heared Jinta laugh in the background.

"Thank you. Now our gigais please." he said again. Urahara looked at Karin now.

"Hello. I believe you are Kurosaki Karin?" he asked. Karin nodded.

"How did you know?" asked Karin.

"Ahh, Ichigo always comes here to ask to go to you... I for one haven't allowed him to go there." he said. Karin felt like she wanted to laugh.

"AHH! And Rukia-san!" boomed Urahara. Rukia jumped.

"Y-Yes." she muttered.

"Damn it. How many times do I have to tell you too... GIVE US OUR GIGAI!" boomed Toushiro, he was losing his patience. Karin laughed. She knew why he was acting this way, the nervousness was making him go awry.

"Okay, Okay." said Urahara, his face in a wide grin. Then Jinta came in with a gigai each. The three put them on, and he looked at them.

Karin looked down at her. She was wearing a nice pink skirt with a black top. Toushiro was wearing his usual polo, but this time he was wearing dark blue jeans, mainly because he grew taller. Rukia was wearing a powder blue dress, with a pink cardigan.

"Where did you get these clothes?" asked Karin. She was a little uncomfortable wearing a skirt, but she wasn't one to complain.

"That, Karin, is a secret." said Urahara, tapping the end of his long nose. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you." they all said, and was about to go out when Urahara screamed at them,

"CONGRATULATIONS BY THE WAY!"

Karin and Toushiro froze on the spot, and ran back in to find him smirking at them.

"How did you know?" they all asked at the same time.

Urahara fanned his face and smiled at the mischieviously.

"I told you, I knew you were coming."

Karin and Toushiro looked at each other, and walked out of the house, their hearts pounding.


	41. Reunited!

**A/N:I was so over-whelmed by the continuous reviewing from the last chapter, well, I made this one extra special. At least, I think I did. I worked on this for a couple of days. Hmm, what else do I have to say. Oh yeah! Jinta is now hot. So hot, that he could burn holes in your eyes. LOL, and yes, he and Yuzu have a relationship now. Ichigo is well... Uhh... Just read the story. I don't want to spoil it... :) **

**Chapter 40: Re-united! **

"Karin, calm down." muttered Toushiro. Karin was shaking, but she wasn't the only one, Toushiro was shaking too. Rukia raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't think you are the right person to tell her that." said Rukia. Karin laughed nervously, Toushiro glared at her too... Nervously.

They were walking back to the Kurosaki house, and their feet were going slower than the usual humanly possible pace. But they didn't mind, they were having a pretty hard time trying to think of ways to talk to someone that they haven't seen in four years.

Karin looked at Toushiro, who's eyesight seemed to have fogged. She knew what he was thinking, and it was possible that he too was much more nervous than her.

_What do I tell Ichigo? Dad? Yuzu? _

_Oh. My. God. _

_It's not like they won't understand, really. It's just that maybe I don't know what they're reactions would be._

_I mean, i'm getting ready to be married! Damn, I should stop talking to myself._

_Sigh._

_Ichigo would probably try to turn Toushiro into scrambled eggs and toss him out like he was some frizbee... I just don't get why he is too over-protective._

_Dad... Well, dad would be different. He'd probably go over and talk to Toushiro about babies and stuff._

She shuddered at that thought.

_Yuzu, well, she would be happy and will cry. She should really stop crying now. _

_Whatever happens, we won't really be bothered, right?_

_Right._

Toushiro felt Karin's gaze at her side, and when he looked at her, she didn't seem to be conscious that her mind was somewhere else. He resisted the urge to tap her on the shoulder and say,

"Abort mission! I can't do this!"

He would never do that. After all, he knew that her family was important to her, even if she never exactly showed it. So many scenario were playing in his mind, and he didn't know which one to choose.

_**Scene ONE**_

_Me and Karin will walk in, closely followed by Kuchiki. Suddenly, Karin's twin sister... Uhh... I forgot her name. Yeah, well. Karin's twin sister walks in and screams at the top of her lungs._

_"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she screams. I duck for cover as Kurosaki jumps in and asks her who it was. Then he looks at me and Karin and shouts too..._

_Wait! That can't happen, I mean, Kurosaki screaming? That'll be a sight. _

_**Scene TWO**_

_"Karin, you stay behind me. This might get noisy." I tell her. Kuchiki giggles. She does that alot now. _

_Karin nodds and follows me slowly. Then suddenly, err... Her twin goes in. Stares at us for a minute then screams at the top of her lungs. I watch her faint in slow motion. Then in surprise, Kurosaki and Isshin taicho walks in and asks her, only to find her on the floor._

_Isshin attacks._

_W-WAIT! He can't attack us... Right? Ahh... _

_**Scene THREE**_

_I hold Karin's hand and Kuchiki closely follows us. Then Karin's twin... uhh... I remember now! That Yuzu... Right... Right... The scene... Uhh..._

_Okay, she gasps and runs inside, screaming:_

_"DAD! Karin's ghost is here! And damn, she looks hot!" she screams._

_Oh wait, her twin won't say that. ehe-heh. Maybe I would... No... _

_**Scene FOUR**_

_I grab Karin by her waist and kick the door open, my zanpakuto swishing in the air, heroic reiatsu bursting from my chest. Karin screams like a damsel in distress as Isshin and Kurosaki swoop down and that Yuzu cries for help. _

_"Dad! That cool, tall, great, cute warrior with a shiny sword has Karin-chan's dead body!" she cries. Isshin and Ichigo gasp._

_They both ran away, Yuzu's body clutched into their arms, as if he were a monster._

_HAHAH. Now, that would be too cool. Hey, a taicho shouldn't say that. Scratch that._

_**Scene FIVE**_

_We use the doorbell. Yuzu answers. She faints. Kurosaki, well, he goes there. He faints. Then Isshin. He faints. _

Toushiro sighed. He couldn't think of a proper scene. None. Karin stopped staring into space and massages his hand.

"Hey, don't worry. It'll be alright." she says. Toushiro smiled.

"I wanted to tell you that, but okay." said Toushiro. He was still a little scared, uh, nervous though.

Rukia was lagging behind, and she watched the two share the sweetest of smiles. She grabbed her arms closely to her body and sighed.

"Ichigo..." she whispered. They didn't hear her. Thankfully enough.

"Hey, Rukia." called Karin. Rukia looked up from the ground and saw that she was really behind now. She caught up and jogged all the way.

Karin and Toushiro stared at each other.

**HT/KK**

"I-I... I don't think i'm ready." said Karin. Toushiro sighed.

"Hey, I thought it was all going to be alright?" he repeated. Karin smiled a tiny smile at him, and kisses his cheek.

"Thanks... But can you do the talking?" she said. Toushiro hesitated, but as she looked at her nervous, eager face, he agreed and nodded.

"Come on, I think we could go in now." said Rukia.

They were in front of the house, in front of the door, and they didn't know what to do next.

"Don't you think we should use the doorbell?" asked Toushiro. Then he figured they might all faint. He looked at Karin.

He face was in a frown. She wasn't used to having to think of ways to get into her own house.

"Yeah, I think we can let ourselves in..." she said.

Then she took the doorknob, he hands shaking. As she turned it... No avail.

"The door is locked." said Karin. Then she gasped.

"NO WAY! The door can't be locked." she said loudly. Rukia nodded to Toushiro's questionable stare.

"She's right. They never lock the door. Never." said Rukia. She was used to it, since she lived there for a few months.

Then she looked up at the windows. Karin followed her stare.

"No. No way am I going to sneak into my own house!" she said, her voice shaking. Toushiro and Rukia smiled at each other.

**HT/KK**

"I can't believe you dragged me into breaking into my house." muttered Karin. Toushiro was carrying her on his strong shoulders. Rukia was laughing.

"Well, I don't understand why you chose this room, Hitsugaya taicho." said Rukia, she waved around.

"This is Karin's room. The only room that I ever sneaked in my whole life." said Toushiro.

Karin finally looked around. In fact, this really was her room. The room that she slept in for her natural childhood life.

Toushiro dropped her on the bed, and she felt the covers. They felt warm.

"Why is my bed warm? Who sleeps in my room?" she asked herself. They were the same covers, same pillow case, same hard bed. But there was a different aura on it.

Toushiro looked at her table. It was messy. Karin stood up and looked at her table too, and she gave a smile.

"Looks like they haven't cleaned up my room yet. This is the same clutter that I left." she said. Toushiro looked shocked.

"Really?" he asked. Karin nodded, and picked up her fractions homework. How she hated math.

Rukia smirked as they watched them both look at the clutter, and she stared at the small box that was underneath her bed. She picked it up and opened it. To her utter amusement, a bobblehead popped out of it and dropped to the floor with a loud TWANG!

Karin and Toushiro jumped. They were too busy laughing at the mess that they didn't notice that Rukia was there.

"What is it?" asked Karin, and then she noticed the bobblehead, with the funky cartoon bobbling all the way on the floor. Toushiro gasped at it and picked it up.

"Karin..." he whispered. Karin smiled at him, and took it.

"Remember?" she asked. Toushiro nodded and smiled as the cartoon grinned at them both.

"Yeah." he replied.

Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" she asked too. Karin didn't look up at her. Toushiro sniffed and replied,

"Well, I gave this to her on our first date." he said. Rukia's eyes widened.

"OH YEAH! I remember! That bobblehead in the arcade." she said. Karin and Toushiro looked at her.

Rukia laughed nevrously.

"Not that I was there... Hehe." she said. Karin narrowed her eyes.

"You were eavesdropping my first date?" she growled. Toushiro slapped his forehead.

"N-No... Hey! Don't look at me like that!" said Rukia, shocked as Karin descended upon her. Rukia fell on the bed and Karin went on top of her and tickled her ribs.

Rukia laughed menacingly.

"Wait! Okay! OKAY! I was there! STOP!" she said in between her laughs. Karin stopped tickling her and looked at Toushiro's amused face.

"I don't care." she said. Rukia looked at her, and saw that she just uttered those words, not even knowing she did. Why? Well, let's just say she and Toushiro were in a different world now.

Rukia scoffed. Honestly, they go like that more often now. Hello? Anyone there? Yoohooo!

**HT/KK**

Then suddenly, a door slammed open downstairs, making them all jump. Karin looked at Rukia frantically.

"They're here! What do I do? What?!" she said, her voice not having any trace of sanity at all. Toushiro gulped.

"Calm down, and be quiet! They might start thinking there is a burglar here." she whispered back. Karin clamped a hand on her mouth, as if she didn't trust herself not to speak. Toushiro tried to act cool, but failed miserably.

"Alright. We get out of the window in a calm, and orderly way..." he said. But then Karin shrieked.

Footsteps. Now, thuding that meant someone was going up with heavy footsteps. Then a deep voice that made Karin's eyes wider than beach balls.

"Yuzu! I'm going to sleep this time tonight at Karin's room. Please bring up my dinner here." he called out.

Karin's mouth hung open.

"They take turns to sleep in my crappy room?" she whispered to Rukia. Toushiro watched as the doorknob turned slowly, then he looked frantically at the window.

CLOSED! He cursed angrily and Rukia tapped him on the shoulder gesturing the... What else? Closet. Toushiro looked at Karin, who seemed stunned by the mere suggestion of it, when the door opened slowly.

Toushiro grabbed Karin's arm with lightning fast speed and practically threw her into the closet. And in time, Rukia shut the closet slowly with a slight hinge for air. She looked out, and Isshin was looking around, and he laid on bed and sighed.

Karin looked at her dad. He hasn't aged at all. In fact, she couldn't believe that he aged a single day. Toushiro watched as Karin bit her lip. She was nervous alright. Then he realized that they were indeed in a most uncomfortable position.

Rukia tried not to giggle as she saw that Karin was glued to Toushiro and they were a little too closed to be allowed. Rukia then looked around the closet.

"Hey, this place is bigger than Ichigo's." she whispered to Karin.

"Eh? How would you know?" replied Karin, quietly.

"I lived there. Well, I slept there... It's not fair that you get the bigger closet." said Rukia. Karin sighed.

"I'm a girl. Meaning I have more clothes than guys." said Karin. Toushiro looked around, but he was too restrained on Karin, that he couldn't crane his neck an inch more.

What she said was odd though. There were clothes, alright. But they were nowhere near what a girl would wear. Plus, there were barely any clothes at all!

"Hey, I wanna wear that. This skirt is driving me nuts." said Karin, pointing at the jeans poking at the left of Rukia's ear. Rukia handed her the jeans. Karin grabbed it, but ended up banging her body on Toushiro's.

Toushiro blushed. Okaaaay.

"Sorry." muttered Karin. Toushiro blushed as she was about to throw away the skirt on the floor.

"W-Wait... Don't you think that maybe you should do that when i'm not here. Or maybe when I can uhh..." he muttered. Karin blushed as she fastened her skirt again. Rukia giggled silently.

"Ohh! Chappy!" she whispered loudly. Then she was about to pick it up, which was on the floor, ending up banging her butt on Karin's. Karin's face fell on Toushiro's, and they ended up in a lip-lock... Yes, in a dingy closet with Rukia cramped with them.

Rukia gasped and lost her balance, and opened the cabinet by accident, ending up falling flat on the floor. Karin and Toushiro followed, because Karin's skirt hem was stuck on Rukia's chain. Toushiro, who was still kissing (by accident) Karin, fell with her.

Isshin... Well, he was too shocked to even comprehend.

"GAHHH! Hormonal teenagers in my house! In Karin's room! In her closet!" he boomed loudly, pointing them with his eyes closed. Karin pushed Toushiro off, and stood up. Rukia muttered a quick apology to Toushiro's face and blushed.

"Eheh. Dad?" said Karin. Isshin peeped in slowly from his hands and gasped.

"K-K-K-K-K-K-ARIN!?" he stuttered. Then without further ado, he fainted. Toushiro sighed.

"I think I expected that." he said. Karin slammed her forehead.

"Nice welcome." she said. Toushiro picked Isshin up and placed him on her bed. Then he groaned.

"Yuzu, where is my dinner?" he muttered. Toushiro's eyes widened as Isshin clasped his arm and said,

"Ahh... Isshin taicho?" he said, a little unsure. Isshin's eyes popped open.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he boomed. Karin shut her eyes and punched her father hard on the face.

"Damn it. Can't a get a better welcome?!" she asked angrily. But deep down, there was a sudden satisfaction in knowing that she could punch her idiot father again.

Isshin's eyes watered.

"Karin?" he asked. Karin nodded, rolled her eyes and sat next to him.

"Wassup? Long time no see." she said. To her, not so surprised, surprise... His eyes watered and he sobbed on her shoulder. Karin sighed.

"Dad? DAD? DAD!" she cried in his ears. He looked up, his eyes red.

"Karin?" he asked again. Karin wanted to punch him again.

"Yes it's me. In a gigai, no less." she said. Isshin gulped and cried harder. Rukia tried not to laugh.

They waited for his cries to subside, and he looked up and was about to say something when Yuzu walked in. Wait, was that Yuzu? YUZU!?

Yuzu looked like a model. Her usual, short blond hair, was blossoming in a long wavy length. Her usual black eyes, were nice and shiny, and her flawless skin made Karin want to force her to play soccer, so that she would know what it felt like to have a scar.

"Dad? What's wrong? I heared you scream a couple of times. Then I heared you crying... I thought you were thinking of Karin--" then she looked around.

"Hey, Yuzu." said Karin, a little louder than the usual. Toushiro eyed for a second, and realized that she was about to faint too. With seeming reflexes, he let Rukia catch her from the back.

"That was fast." said Toushiro.

"Really, why are you all so shocked to see me?" she asked her dad as Rukia carried Yuzu and placed her gently on a chair.

"I'm not really that shocked." said Isshin, then he threw his wet tissue paper in the trashbin next to him.

"What are you talking about?" asked Karin. He cried, screamed, shrieked, and yes, fainted.

"I felt your reiatsu, Hitsugaya taicho's and Rukia-chan's a while ago when I got in the house... I just didn't think that you would be hiding in your closet, kissing no less." he said, sternly. Karin gulped.

"Ah, you see..." she tried to explain, and looked at Toushiro for help.

"No need to explain. If you wanted to go here without surprising us, you might as well have rang the doorbell." he said. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"When we got here, you were out." she said. Isshin beamed at her.

"Yes, the three of us were doing some errands." he said. Karin grimaced.

"Together? I wouldn't have believed it." she said. Isshin took her hand.

"Ever since the menos thing, well, I couldn't let Yuzu go out alone. Ichigo became more protective to his only sister now." he said. Karin blinked.

"Aren't you shocked to see me back?" she asked. Isshin smiled slowly.

"Why do you think I kept your room the way it is until now?" he asked. Karin felt like she wanted to cry.

"R-Really?" she asked. Isshin nodded.

Then another bang downstairs. More heavy thumps then, another door banged loudly next door.

"Uhh... Ichi-nii?" she asked Isshin.

He nodded.

Then Yuzu stirred slowly, her eyes were foggy.

"Dad? I thought I saw Karin's ghost a while ago..." she said. Karin waved a hand in front of her.

"Yuzu. A ghost can't look different, ya know." said Karin. Yuzu blinked then gasped again.

"KARIN!" she burst and hugged her tightly.

"Aren't you shocked to see me?" she asked. Yuzu sniffed in her hair. Crying. AGAIN.

"N-No. I knew you would come back! Even if you are a ghost or not!" said Yuzu. Toushiro and Rukia looked at each other.

"Im not a ghost, you dolt. Im dead yes, but--"

Isshin looked at Karin and shook his head,

"She doesn't know." he whispered. Karin contorted her face.

"YOU HAVEN"T TOLD HER?" she boomed. They all jumped.

"Tell me what?" asked Yuzu, wiping her tears from her eyes.

Isshin sighed. Then another bang, more heavy footsteps. Then the door opened menacingly.

"Yuzu! What's--" then he stopped short. He gasped then pointed a long finger at... Toushiro?

"TOUSHIRO!" he boomed loudly. Karin sighed.

_He didn't see me, did he?_

_Nope._

Rukia's eyes widened as Ichigo descended on him and thought he was about to smack him silly, when he slammed hands with him.

"W-What?" was a question in all their eyes. Karin wondered when they became such good friends.

Then Rukia coughed loudly.

Ichigo turned to her, then he looked like he swallowed a turnip in one gulp.

"Rukia?" he muttered, in a different voice than with Toushiro. His face was red.

"Ichigo." she greeted, a little coldly. Karin sighed again as Ichigo awkwardly gave her a... uhh... Hug. Which was a body width apart, I might add.

Then it was her turn.

"Uhh..." said Ichigo. Karin punched him.

"BAKA! CAN"T EVEN REMEMBER ME?!" she cried angrily. Ichigo gasped as his swollen bump on his head.

"Damn it! You can't do that!" he said. Karin punched him again.

"Ichi-nii!" she said. Ichigo put his head from side to side and crossed his arms. Karin wanted to throw his body in a toxic pool and kill him there.

"Ahh..." he said.

Karin looked away.

"Baka-nii." she said. Ichigo's eyes widened.

"KARIN!?" he asked.

Rukia, Toushiro, Yuzu and Isshin dropped their gaws. Toushiro felt sorry for him.

"BAKA!" she screamed at his ear, and gave him a tight hug. Ichigo wondered where the lumps on her shirt came from.

(_a/n: NO INCEST HERE! haha.)_

**HT/KK**

Dinner that night was a strange affair. Not only was the three remaining Kurosaki's a little shocked at seeing their dead family member sit before them matter-of-factly, but Toushiro and Karin had news that would definitely throw them off their seats.

"Dinner!" called out Yuzu when she got to the table. Karin looked at all the delicious food. How long was it since she tasted Ramen? 4 years.

Toushiro looked unsure as he snapped his chapsticks together. They all smelled delicious but he was a little anxious to what they tasted like. Rukia was sniffing stuffed red beanpaste onigri.

"Hey, Yuzu. Do you have any of those juice boxes?" asked Rukia eagerly. Ichigo smirked.

"Do you know how to open them already?" he asked. Rukia stared at him angrily. He looked different alright. And he had a huge scar on his left cheek. Looks like he also got taller too.

"Of course I do!" she replied. He smirked again.

Yuzu arrived later on and handed her a juice box. She poked it on the top and sipped happily, sending Ichigo a "I-told-ya-so" glare.

"Dad?" asked Karin after they ate the main course.

"Hmm? Karin my daughter?" he asked.

"How come my room was kept like that... How come you didn't change it?" she asked. Isshin smiled.

"One, I knew you were coming... And two, we couldn't find a picture of you smiling, so we couldn't get a life-sized portrait like your mother." he said. Karin laughed.

Masaki's picture was smiling down at them.

Then Karin's eyes widened.

"Omg, I forgot to tell her." muttered Karin. Isshin looked at her curiously.

"What was that?" he asked. Karin smiled innocently at him.

"Nothing." she said.

_It's not that I forgot... I mean it crossed my mind a couple of times. No doubt, I wouldn't forget it at all! But, I wanted to make it a surprise so I didn't tell her we were coming to the real world. _

_Wait 'til she sees dad standing in front of her porch._

Isshin eyed his daughter, then shrugged it off as soon as it came.

"Ahh, Karin... How did you... I mean... Uhh..." said Ichigo, completely sure of what to say.

"How did I turn into a woman? Simple, I grew." said Karin, simply teasing Ichigo.

"No but... Did you correct dad and Yuzu's mind?" he whispered in her ears.

Karin raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Ichigo sighed heavily.

"I mean that they wouldn't be sitting there calmly without wondering why you just rose from the dead do they?" he said skeptically.

"Wait... You don't know?" she asked loudly. Isshin blanched. Ichigo rose accusingly.

"WHAT DON'T I KNOW?" he boomed.

"Uh." said Isshin. Ichigo turned red.

"Dad's a shinigami... Yes, Yuzu, that is a person who wields the sword and fights the dead... Yes, Ichi-nii, I knew even before I died. Yes, Dad, you really are a big dolt." she said tonelessly. Toushiro and Rukia choked on their food.

"WHAT!" cried Ichigo.

"Eh?" said Yuzu, not understanding at all.

"Uh." said Isshin, wanting to go somewhere else.

"Yup." said Karin.

Isshin narrowly missed being hit by a bowl of steaming hot soup. Ichigo looked furious.

"You mean Ive been under the roof with another shinigami without me knowing it?!" he asked angrily.

"Hey, you didn't tell me you were one too! I just knew." said Isshin. Ichigo gritted his teeth.

"Damn it. I don't have time to mess up here!" cried Ichigo.

"He was a taicho too." added Karin carelessly.

"What! him, a Gotei 13 shinigami?" he asked. Isshin looked like a gorilla staring at it's prey. Also known as a bananna.

"You big headed son! I didn't raise you like that!" cried Isshin. Ichigo grabbed Isshin by the back. Isshin kicked Ichigo right below him.

"GAW!"

"Ouch!"

"Damn!"

"Meow."

The fight looked never ending, and Toushiro was starting to grow intrested. Karin sighed. Yuzu was turning teary again.

"Stop it, dad... Onii-san!" she said. Karin grabbed her arm.

"Yuzu, don't you think it's time to get used to this?" she said waving her arms around.

"No." she replied. Karin sighed again.

"Don't mind them, Toushiro." she told him. Toushiro looked away.

"Don't you think it's time to tell them?" he asked her. Karin smiled evilly.

"I'm getting married." said Karin, not too loudly.

Ichigo and Isshin stopped fighting, stopping in mid-punch.

"WHAT!?" they all said at the same time, and even Yuzu stopped crying, her red eyes were redder that the usual. Ichigo untangled himself from Isshin. Isshin looked like he was just given they key to the whole universe.

"I'm getting married." she said again, slowly. Ichigo looked at Toushiro who tried to hide his smile.

Isshin sat down in front of them both, and Ichigo stood up next beside Karin. They both looked serious from a second ago that it was a little scary.

"Did you know about this, Rukia?" asked Ichigo. Rukia nodded slowly, she was gulping in more juice.

"Since when have you been engaged?" asked Isshin, he really was serious. Karin gulped and grabbed Toushiro's hand.

"Uhh, a little about a few days ago." said Karin.

"Oh." said Isshin. It was starting to freak her out. Where did the crazy idiot dad go? WHERE!?

Then without further ado, he burst into happy tears, and he hugged Toushiro. Hard.

"Take care of my daughter." he said loudly to his ears. Toushiro looked freaked.

"Uh, yes... uhh, sir." said Toushiro, trying to get away from his grip. Then finally, Isshin let go.

"Masaki and I were engaged for 3 years." said Isshin. Toushiro looked at Karin, who raised an eyebrow.

"So?" she asked.

Isshin ignored her.

"And you know how long we have been together?" he asked. Karin shook her head. Yuzu blinked.

"3 years." he said.

There was a long silence. Ichigo finally sat down, and looked like he still wanted to kill Toushiro and Isshin. Rukia stopped slurping from her juice box and released a small burp. Karin and Yuzu were both looking skeptically at him.

"I don't get it." said Ichigo finally. Isshin patted Toushiro's back. Toushiro wished he wasn't sitting next to Isshin.

"It means, that even before I asked her to be my wife... I knew she was the one from the very first date." he said.

Toushiro looked at Karin's eyes, and again they connected.

"Just like our first date." mouthed Karin. Toushiro smiled at her.

Yuzu looked around, sighed and stood up.

"I don't understand what a 'shinigami' is... But i'm pretty sure that we should celebrate something like this! Congratulations, Karin." said Yuzu, giving Karin a tight sister hug.

Karin hugged back, happy for the first time to really be back at home.

"Dessert, anyone?" asked Yuzu. Everyone raised their hands fast.

Except for Toushiro.

**HT/KK**

Burps resounded around the small living room. Even Toushiro burped, sending happy laughter from Karin.

She felt drunk, but she wasn't. She was high on happiness. Being back home, with Toushiro, them accepting him... It was the best engagement gift ever. And if she had to rate her happiness now, it would be a perfect 100.

"Oh, yeah. Was the reason for your engagement the reason why you three came here?" asked Ichigo. "I mean, I never guessed that Sereitei allowed that."

"Me too." seconded Isshin.

"I almost forgot. We were sent here mainly because of you, Kurosaki Ichigo." said Toushiro. Ichigo sat up, and raised an eyebrow.

"What do I have to do with you?" he asked, a little rudely. Toushiro crossed his arms.

"The sotaicho, even if I don't agree on him, wants you to become a captain." he said.

"Whoa. It's not that I don't want to... But I don't want to." replied Ichigo. Toushiro stood up.

"He said that when you die, you will be sent forth instantly to Sereitei. We are here to tell you this, just incase you start wondering why." he said. Ichigo looked dumbstruck.

"A taicho? Me?" he said... Wow.

Isshin let out a bark-like laugh.

"I wouldn't think that my son had the guts to do it!" he said evilly, grating him to pieces.

"Speak for yourself!" cried Ichigo.

"Hah! I happen to be a taicho." said Isshin. Ichigo looked angry again.

"Fine. I'm doing it. In fact, I think i'm going to kill myself now." said Ichigo. Isshin smirked.

"You can't do that." he said. Ichigo gritted his teeth and took a knife from the kitchen counter. Yuzu screamed. Ichigo laughed crazily. Karin sighed.

"Are you honestly going to commit suicide, Ichigo?" asked Isshin, carefully eyeing the heavy knife on his hand.

"Yes." he said.

"Okay, that's enough." said Rukia, finally butting in. She took his hand and kissed him smack dab on the face.

Everybody gasped.

"Uhh..." said Karin. It was weird, watching Rukia and her brother make-out in front of all of them. The knife fell on the floor with a long tingling CLANG! And Rukia released him, sat down, and drank more juice.

Ichigo's eyes were wide open. And his mouth was a little swollen.

"Rukia." he muttered. Rukia peaked her left eye open and put down the juice.

"Yes?" she asked. Ichigo gulped and straightened up his colar.

"C-Can we talk for a second?" he asked. He was blushing.

"Hmm?" she asked. Ichigo coughed loudly.

"I-I meant uhh... In private. Somewhere far away from here." he muttered in his ears. Isshin bent his head forward. Rukia turned red.

"Okay." she said.

Then they both walked out of the door, without another word.

**HT/KK**

As night finally arrived, Toushiro nodded to Karin that they had to leave now. But Isshin was being persistent.

"You can't leave! Rukia-chan isn't here yet." he said. Or he kept on saying. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"She can go there by herself, after all she is a shinigami. Dad, we have to go." she said. Her dad was acting like a total goof.

"Sir, she's right. We have a lot of planning to do and--" started Toushiro. But Isshin sniffed.

"It's not that. It's just that my precious daughter will leave already... And I haven't seen her in 4 years." he muttered. Karin sighed.

"Daaad." she groaned.

Toushiro took her hand and squuezed it.

"We'll stay. But it will only be for a couple of days." he said soothingly to Isshin. Isshin whooped.

"What!?" cried Karin. Not that she didn't want to stay there, but like he said, they had a lot to do.

"He's right. What would you feel like if I left you for 5 years, then I came back only to leave again?" asked Toushiro skeptically. Karin was taken aback. He was talking about what happened to them a long time ago.

"Wait, 5 years? It was only 4 years, Toushiro-kun." said Isshin.

Karin remained silent.

"Ahh, yes, sir." he said, then he let out a weird laugh. Isshin patted him on the back.

"That's settled then! Oh and you may call me Isshin or dad. But I prefer dad." he said seriously. Toushiro's eyes boggled.

"O-Okay, dad." he said, 'dad' rolling out of his tongue like a bunch of goo.

"Fine. But we sleep in the same room." said Karin, giving Toushiro a side glance.

Isshin gasped in a WTF! kind of way.

"No No NO NO NOOO." he said a little too loudly.

"What?" they asked at the same time. Was there something wrong with that?

"I will not allow a bunch of hormonal teenagers to sleep in one bed, understood?" asked Isshin, his parental instincts finally kicking in.

Toushiro tried not to say out loud that he was already 80-something. Therefore, he was not a teenager.

"But--" started Karin.

Isshin looked away childishly and ran to 'mother' aka Masaki's portrait.

"Mother! Your daughter is turning into a--" he cried. Karin bonked him angrily on his head.

"What exactly?" she asked, her face menacingly scary.

"Ahhh... Nothing. But I will not allow him to sleep in the same bed as you!" he cried. Toushiro sighed disappointedly.

"That's fine Karin, i'm sure that he wants what's best for us." said Toushiro.

"Ata boy." said Isshin, approving of Toushiro.

"Alright, already. But where is he going to sleep?" asked Karin skeptically. Isshin tapped his chin.

"He sleeps right over here." said Isshin, gesturing at the couch they were sitting on.

Toushiro imagined that this was going to be a long night.

"Are you okay with that, Toushiro?" asked Karin, her face a little downfallen.

He wanted to say that he'd rather sleep on the roof or with Karin, than to sleep on a ruddy little couch such as this, but with the look on Isshin's face, he couldn't disagree.

"It's fine." said Toushiro, trying to sound okay-with-it, but he failed.

"GREAT!" boomed Isshin, not noticing Toushiro's tone one bit.

Karin sighed.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro looked at that living room that surrounded him.

"This is where Karin grew up." he reminded himself as he absorbed the little things. Then he smiled as he spotted a nice little picture of her right on the wall. He stood up and picked it up with his hands.

Karin was giving a goofy little smile on the camera, and indeed this was the girl that he first fell in love with. Little Kurosaki Karin, crazy soccer chick with the rule to act tough all the time. He knew that she was trying so hard to do it, but with his love, he finally brought them all down.

But there was the Karin now. Beautiful, full-grown, and still the same Karin from the inside. He loved her more than anything, and even if her appearance changed drastically, whatever it is that changed her, he accpeted with all his heart.

As he sat on the couch that hurt his back, he at the open window at his side, and jumped out.

**HT/KK**

Karin sighed as she rolled around in her bed. Though things were the same way she left it, she couldn't stand the idea of not being able to spend the night in Toushiro's arms. Though they started sleeping with each other a few days ago, she felt like she needed his gentle touch every night.

Yes, she loved the way her room looked. The way it stood out from all the other rooms that every teenage girl occupied. But even so, she missed her home at Sereitei.

She stood up and looked out the window, opening it in the process and breathed a smell of fresh air. And for the first time, she felt like home was absorbing her again. The gigai restraining her was a little tight, but no matter, she loved the fact that she was wearing the pajamas from her childhood, and she couldn't believe how it still fitted her.

Maybe that was because she got the pajamas that were 3 sizes ahead of her.

Then suddenly, a hand grabbed her hand.

"Toushiro!" she cried. Toushiro was dangling head first in front of her, and she realized he was on her roof.

"Shh." he said, then he gestured for her to follow him.

Karin grimaced at the height from down below. Her room was at the 2nd floor, and it was a little dangerous to walk on the railings. How did Toushiro get there? Oh yeah, he is a taicho. He climbs stuff for a living.

"Come on, i'll help you." he whispered. Karin nodded, and grabbed his arms as he pulled her up on their roof.

Then Karin gasped at the sight. She has never been on top of their roof before, and then she just realized they had the best spot.

The moon looked twice it's size at their place, and the dark sky illuminated the twinkling stars.

"The stars..." she whispered. Toushiro looked up too, and smiled.

"There are no stars at Soul Society." he said. Karin touched his hand, and entwined it with hers.

The stars winked at them again, and Karin smiled serenely up at them.

"Toushiro?"

"Yes?

"Do you remember what dad said a while ago about him and mom's engagement?" she asked. Toushiro frowned for a second.

"Yes." he said.

"Dad said that they were together for three years..." said Karin. Toushiro looked at her skeptically.

"I don't know where this is going." he said. Karin sighed.

"If you counted the days that we have _really_ been together, it wouldn't even surpass a month..." she said. Toushiro smiled as she saw her sad face illuminate.

"Karin." he said. Karin looked up. Toushiro touched her chin with his thumb.

"Don't you realize that is another reason why I want to marry you so much?" he said. Karin let out a small smile.

"Yeah." she said.

"So I can be with you for the rest of my natural life. Like it or not." he said, giving off a mockery for sarcastic. Karin giggled.

"Yeah." she said again.

They lied down on the roof, the cold air wrapping them like a blanket of ice. Then she realized that maybe that was Hyourinamaru. Then she felt a little tingling, and realized that was Dorajin.

It was weird, feeling two zanpakuto's share a moment as they do. But she liked it that way.

"Toushiro?" she asked again.

"Hmm?"

"Let's stay like this." said Karin. Toushiro smiled at her.

"That's my line." he said.

Then he took her head, and laid it on his shoulders. Karin smelled him in.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good night."

"Good night."

**A/N: WOW! I just realized that I wrote a crack chapter and mixed it with seriousness. Heeehee. Well, did ya like it? Hate it? REVIEW! Oh and btw, the setting for the next few chapter will be at Karakura town. I missed this place so much. And yes, more IchiRuki for the fans. :) GAHH! That was 6,453 words! PHEW! I deserve reviews! Im wiped out.**


	42. A day at the mall

**A/N: Gahh! Late. Late. Late. Well, im sorry. Thou shall not mix advanced algebra, geometry, and chemistry together. Honestly, I hate math. Hate it. Anyhoo, here's the new chapter! Though this one might not be as funny or as long as the chappie 40, please bear with me. :) review!**

**Chapter 41: A day at the mall**

Karin groaned heavily. Her body was a little tired, and she didn't know why. Then she opened her eyes when she realized that the dun has risen already, and to her surprise, she was sleeping on top of a roof. Toushiro was standing at the edge of the rooftop, using his hands to shade his eyes from the rising sunrise. It was beautiful indeed, and if you didn't know Toushiro too well, you would guess that he was going to commit suicide.

"Ohayo." greeted Toushiro. Karin sat up, her back cracking in the process.

"How did you know I was awake?" asked Karin. Toushiro smirked slightly.

"I know that you groan heavily everytime you wake up, Karin." he said, then added, "And, you are the only one around."

"What time is it?" she asked, lying down again. Toushiro sucked in a mouthful of air, sighed and looked at her.

"I don't know." he whispered. Karin looked at him. The way he acted... She was pretty sure that he was busy meditating or something.

"Hey, Toushiro?"

"Yes?"

"Let's go down for breakfast."

"Okay."

**HT/KK**

Karin and Toushiro trudged down the high roof and jumped off. Karin screamed like a banshee and Toushiro covered her mouth. When Karin finally opened her eyes she realized that she was on the ground, safe and sound.

"What was that!?" cried someone from the inside of the house, and they recognized it as Isshin's.

"Ehe-eh." muttered Karin to Toushiro, who grinned at her.

"You should have at least told me you are afraid of heights!" he said loudly.

"NO I'M NOT!" burst Karin.

_Fine._ she admitted. She was acting like a total toughie, but she can't stand jumping off a roof. After all, she was only 19. And that was like, I don't know, a year old in Soul Society count.

"Okay." said Toushiro, backing off. Bad morning eh?

"Hey, what are you kids doing out there?" asked Isshin, banging the door open, making them both jump.

"Uh... We were..." started Toushiro, nto knowing what to say. Wait a minute, did he just say... KIDS?!

"Dad, first of all... We are not kids. Second, we are here to get fresh air... Is that a crime?" she asked innocently. Then out of the corner of her eyes, she let out a wink to Toushiro. Isshin sighed.

"I was hoping that you were looking for Rukia-chan." said Isshin. He didn't even bother to ask about Ichigo. Honestly, what kind of father is he?

"She hasn't come home yet?" asked Toushiro. Obviously.

"No." said Isshin. Then he sighed again.

"Yuzu and Jinta are inside, they were about to wake you up, Karin." said Isshin. Karin and Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"Jinta?" asked Karin.

_WTF is that no-good 'red' position hogger of a sunnova gun doing in MY house!?_

"Yes, didn't she mention? They have been dating for some time now." said Isshin.

Karin gasped.

"GASP!" she cried audibly. Toushiro shook his head.

Then she ran inside in top speed, kicking the door open in the process.

"GASPUH!" she gasped again.

Jinta had his filthy, rock-hard arms around Yuzu's shoulders. They both looked at her like she was crazy. But they were alright to think that way, because Karin was weezing, and she looked like she wanted to murder him.

"Why you--" she started. Jinta stood up, and electricity shook everywhere making Yuzu, Toushiro and Isshin a little scared and wanted to run for cover.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" SHOUTED, I mean, shouted Jinta.

"THAT'S MY LINE! DAMN IT!" boomed Karin. "AND BTW THIS IS MY FRIKIN' HOUSE YOU'RE INFESTING!"

"Oh yeah!?"

"YEAH!"

"YEAH?!"

"YES! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, GET THE HELL OUT!"

Yuzu looked like she was in tears again.

"Stop it." she whispered, which went un-noticed by the two.

"YOU CAN'T ORDER ME OUT!"

"YES I CAN!"

"YEAH!?"

"YEAH!"

"SHUT UP!!" cried a voice louder than theirs. It was Ichigo. He looked angry and his teeth were gritted. He was standing over the broken-down door, with Rukia beside him.

"Onii-san!" cried Yuzu, running to him, and sobbing uncontrollably to his chest. Ichigo was getting annoyed.

"Alright, who the hell started this?" he asked.

Karin and Jinta pointed to each other, not realizing how immature they were acting.

Toushiro sighed. He didn't want to ruin his morning, but unfortunatley, it was just ruined like a 1000 year old building.

"RUKIA-CHAN!" sobbed Isshin. He ran to her, and hugged her like she was lost for all eternity. Karin wanted to hit him, for she got a better welcome than herself.

"Ahh.." she said. She didn't look to happy. In fact, her eyes were a little red.

"Rukia?" whispered Karin. Rukia tried to smile at her, but failed.

"Don't worry about me. Please, let me get some sleep." she said, a little tonelessly. Ichigo sighed heavily then nodded. Rukia walked up slowly to the stairs, and a small door banged. It was probably Ichigo's closet.

"Alright, what did you do to her?" asked Karin angrily.

"Hey, don't--" he wanted to say. Isshin raised a hand fast.

"That's enough. We had enough fights for one morning. Now, Yuzu, Karin, please set up the table. Men, come with me." he said, a little annoyance in his voice.

Karin and Yuzu nodded, and slowly walked to the kitchen.

**HT/KK**

As Karin grabbed the nearest place-mats, Yuzu looked at her.

"You don't like Jinta?" she asked. Karin felt a little guilty as she recognized her tone.

"Well, it's not that." said Karin, then added slowly while picking her words carefully, "I just want to make sure that you... uh... make sure that you pick the right guys."

"And Jinta isn't right?" asked Yuzu. Karin gulped. This was hard.

"He's alright. Just pick good decisions... Okay?" she asked. Yuzu grinned at her, her white teeth glinting like a hollywood walk of fame bright spotlight.

"Okay." she said cheerily. Karin wiped her forehead.

They both walked to the dining area, their arms loaded with utensils. When they were finally finished fixing the table, a wiff of delicious scents in their minds, they went to the living room to call on the boys, when they stopped.

"I want you to spoil them." said Isshin. Karin tiptoed nearer the door and with her back to the wall, she listened harder. Yuzu looked scared.

"Karin, we shouldn't be eavesdropping." she said. Karin shushed her.

"This isn't eavesdropping. It's called collective listening." said Karin. Yuzu raised an eyebrow.

"But, we don't have money to spoil them girls." said Jinta. Yuzu raised an eyebrow. Them? Where they talking about them?

"Dude, you don't need money to spoil women at the mall. They like window shopping." said Ichigo. They heared Toushiro scoff.

"Karin doesn't like shopping." said Toushiro.

Karin grinned. He was right about that.

"Then what does that bi- I mean, what does she like?" asked Jinta, a little annoyed as if someone pinched him.

"I can tell that she likes flowers." said Toushiro. Karin wanted to kiss him. Then they heared stiffled laughters, than full-blown guffaws.

"KARIN LIKES FLOWERS?" burst Ichigo. More laughter.

"N-no f-frkikin way!" cried Jinta, it sounded like he couldn't control himself.

"I couldn't have guessed that." said Isshin, with a tiny chuckle.

They heared Toushiro sigh.

"Well, you did ask me." he said.

"Anyway, since this is a group date... That means we have to pay together?" asked Jinta.

Karin and Yuzu felt their jaws drop.

GROUP DATE!?

"Yes. Since Rukia seems a little upset, and Ichigo has work, that means you and Toushiro will be with Yuzu and Karin... Of course, I want it to be a surprise to them." said Isshin.

"Yes, sir." they both said.

Then chairs started scrapping the ground, and Karin and Yuzu sped to the dining room, a little sweaty and tried to act like they didn't know anything. Toushiro eyed her then grinned. Karin smiled back. Then they sat next to each other. Toushiro touched her leg with his leg and Karin squirmed.

"Ne, Toushiro... Do you want some of that teriyaki?" she asked him. Toushiro looked at her.

"Okay." he said, catching the shaking plate from Karin's hands. Toushiro smirked.

"Karin, are you alright?" he asked. Karin nodded.

"I'm fine." she replied. Yuzu tried not to giggle, but Jinta was staring at her, so she laughed full-blastedly.

"Okay, okay! We heared you." said Karin with an angry sigh. Yuzu grinned at her sympathetically.

"Well there goes the surprise." said Jinta.

Isshin closed his eyes.

"I don't want to go with that stupid red stealer over there." said Karin. Jinta gritted his teeth.

"Hey! Do you wanna fight?" he asked. Karin stood up, but Toushiro pulled her down.

"Let's eat!" said Isshin, like nothing ever happened.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo patted Toushiro on the back, then went back in the car. Karin, Toushiro, Yuzu and Jinta were standing in front of a huge mall. And it was getting more awkward by the minute.

"So..." started Karin. Jinta scoffed.

"Yup." popped Jinta.

"Uhh, do we go in?" asked Yuzu. Ever since dinner, everyone was a little anxious about their... date.

"Yeah." said Karin. Yuzu took Jinta's hand and pulled him. Toushiro placed an arm around Karin's waste and steered them.

**HT/KK**

Karin and Yuzu were inside the store, and Yuzu was pointing and gasping at all the fabulous clothes around. Karin, well, she just wanted a new pair of jeans stat. She hated her skirt, and a million guys were staring at them both. This did not go unnoticed by Jinta and Toushiro, however, who were outside watching their women scour the latest finds.

Toushiro gritted his teeth as a small group of hot guys were looking at Karin's butt. Jinta rolled his eyes.

"Let them be." he said. Toushiro raised an eyebrow at him.

"Those... Men. They're staring at Karin's derrier!" he burst, not being able to control his anger. A girl who was looking at the shop window stared at him for a second, then turned away not being able to hold her giggles. Toushiro ignored her.

"Dude, in my time... We call it butt." said Jinta. Toushiro glared at him.

"It doesn't matter!" he said, then was about to go savage all over them with his zanpakuto, when Jinta grabbed his arm roughly.

"Let them be!" he said. Toushiro looked at him like he was crazy.

He continued,

"You have got to admit, they both look pretty hot now. Aren't you proud of her?" he asked. Toushiro glared yet again.

"I don't like men staring at her." he admitted. "I love that woman, don't you love... Uhh..."

"Yuzu. And, no I don't love her." said Jinta. He blushed. Toushiro surveyed him.

"You don't? But she's your girlfriend." said Toushiro. Jinta looked away.

"You wouldn't always love your girlfriend. Look, Yuzu is hot... But I don't want her as my ONLY girlfriend. I mean, I look cool now." he said. Toushiro sighed.

"So, your telling me... That you don't love Yuzu, because you like other women." repeated Toushiro. Jinta nodded.

"But don't take me wrong. She's different." he said, his eyes glazing at the sight of Yuzu laughing with a plaid fedora on her head. Toushiro blinked.

"You love her." he said.

"No. I don't." replied Jinta, more forcibly.

"Yes, you do." said Toushiro. Jinta sighed heavily.

"What will it take to get you to stop badgering me about that?" he asked. Toushiro shurgged.

"Just admit it." he said. Jinta shook his head, then grabbed Toushiro's shirt. At first, Toushiro thought he was being attacked, but he was being dragged.

"Let go of me." ordered Toushiro. "I'm a Goteu 13 shinigami-taicho!"

Jinta let go of him.

"Sorry, your highness." he mocked sarcastically. Then he forced him to look at a bunch of women, about 18 talking merrily at the food court.

"What?" asked Toushiro, wondering what he was looking at.

Jinta shook his head at his immaturity.

"Man, look at the women over there." he said, pointing at the group, who seemed to have noticed and waved/winked at them.

"So?" asked Toushiro, the ever faithful dude that he is.

"Come-th with-eth me-eth, your highnee." he said, then Toushiro sighed and followed him to their table.

When they got there, a black-haired girl with red highlights pouted her lips to Toushiro, who ignored her. Yes, he didn't notice.

"Hey, ladies." said Jinta, seductively as if he has done this for quite a lot of times.

"Hey." they all said in the same tone. The red-highlights girl was still eyeing Toushiro, who was still ignoring her.

"Anyway, me and my buddy here were not short to notice... Your, ahh, valiant hotness." he said. A girl wearing chandelier earings giggled. The three girls were now laughing.

"Hey, what's your name?" asked red-highlights to Toushiro. He finally looked at her, with a slight tinge of annoyance.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro." he said. He didn't even bother to ask her name. Typical.

"Tamanaka Hirakou." she said, with a glazing white smile. Jinta looked intrested now. Toushiro was plain bored.

"And you girls are?" asked Jinta to the two others.

"Lilly Vai." said chandelier earings.

"You french?" asked Jinta.

"Yes." she replied. She had redish brown hair and impressive blue eyes that would make most guys run to her. Toushiro, well, he didn;t care much because he was looking behind him at the store.

"Kawasaki Sakura." said a girl with black hair. She looked simple, but there was an aura of 'valiany hotness' around her.

"Oh, that's a nice name. You busy tommorow?" asked Jinta, a flirty grin on his face. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes. Hey, girls, I think we have to go." she said. Jinta looked taken aback. Hirakou and Vai looked at her like she was crazy, but they nodded.

"See you, Toushiro." said Hirakou.

Toushiro looked at her for a second and looked back at the store. Rude much? When the girls left, Jinta inhaled as if he was losing his breath.

"What?" asked Toushiro. Jinta gulped.

"That girl just... just... just... r-re-re-re--"

"Rejected you." said Toushiro. Jinta nodded slowly.

"She didn't even ask my n-name!" he said loudly.

Toushiro rolled his eyes, and walked back to the shop, in time to find Karin put on a fantastic pair of body-hugging jeans that made Toushiro feel like he was in love all-over again.

**HT/KK**

"Hey, Toushiro. I was wondering where you went. Do you think this looks good on me?" asked Karin, twirling for him. Toushiro googled at her.

"Yes." he choked out. Karin giggled, then whispered to his ear.

"Im going to get it." she said. Toushiro gulped.

"O-Okay. Let me pay." he said. Karin grinned.

"No, i'll do it." she said, taking out her wallet.

Toushiro whipped his out, and practically threw the credit card at the woman on the counter. Karin laughed.

"Oh, Toushiro. Thanks. I don't have any money on me." said Karin. Toushiro gapped at her.

"What?" he asked.

"It was a test." said Karin, planting a small kiss on his lips.

"Oh."

"You passed."

**HT/KK**

"Jinta!" called out Yuzu. Jinta appeared next to her.

"What?" he asked. Yuzu smiled at him.

"Think this looks good on me?" she asked. Jinta stared at her.

"Sure." he said.

"Im going to get it." she said, looking for a wallet.

"Okay." said Jinta, then ran off to the other side looking at the shoe racks.

"Jinta?" asked Yuzu, looking at her empty wallet. Jinta looked at her.

"What?" he asked. Yuzu bit her lip.

"Nothing." she said, and as he turned his head back to the racks, Yuzu went back inside th changing room and dumped the clothes back to the lady-in-waiting.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro sighed. He was tired. Yes, a taicho gets tired too. Karin was right in front of him, Yuzu laughing in her arms. Jinta had his arms around his neck, trying to act cool.

"Karin." he whispered behind her, she looked at him.

"Yes?" she asked through her grin. Toushiro looked a little red, and he was carrying a cute pink paper bag, which obviously didn't match him.

"Can we please get back?" he asked through gritted teeth, trying to act polite. Karin giggled.

"A re you tired, Toushiro?" she asked cheekily. Toushiro muttered something incoherent. She was obviously sassing him.

"No." he said. Then Karin turned back to Yuzu with a small smile plastered on her mouth.

**HT/KK**

They ended their trip to the mall with a little thing called icecream. Karin dragged Toushiro and told him to get her a mint chocolate chip icecream. Toushiro oblidged, since he was pretty much excited to eat the flavored ice again.

Toushiro paid with the money, and juggled the cones with his two hands. Jinta and Yuzu were in a different table, and they were acting all lovey-dovey that it made him a little sick. Toushiro threw them the icecream, and they both didn't seem to notice that it was dribbling down their hands. Karin watched them with a little jealousy.

"Hey." he greeted, and handed her the cone.

"Hey." she greeted back as she allowed her mouth to sink in the snack that she hasn't eaten in years.

Toushiro gave his icecream a little lick. It was vanilla. He looked at Karin in awe as he saw some chocolate smudges on her cheek, but she was still busy eating to care. Toushiro slurped his cone and smiled.

It tasted good. It was cold, and yet it melted perfectly in his mouth. Such a taste that he never experienced in soul society. If you would count the many times he ate icecream, it would be twice in his whole life. Sad, right?

_They met together later that afternoon for their last game of soccer. Toushiro was distracted all afternoon, and he was also in a bad mood since Madarame and Yumichika started pestering him about Karin too._

_But seeing Karin's face that afternoon made him happy all over again. And right after the game, they were sweaty and tired. Karin collapsed on the nearby bench and sighed happily._

_Toushiro who was not really as tired decided that he should treat her with ice cream._

"_Karin, let's go get some of those flavored cream Ice." he said taking out his wallet._

"_You mean, Ice cream?" asked Karin with a grin._

"_Yeah that. Same difference." said Toushiro with a wave._

_They stood up and raced after the ice cream truck. When they- Toushiro, I mean- caught up with the van, they bought some minty chocolate chip ice creams._

_They sat on the grass yet again, slurping their ice creams._

"_Im going to miss this…" said Toushiro to Karin half-way to his cone._

"_Why? Don't you have ice cream at your place?" asked Karin, knowing what he really meant._

"_I meant us. This calm environment. Im going to miss you." he said as they finished their cones._

"_Im going to miss this too." said Karin, feeling tears in her eyes, she looked away._

**HT/KK**

The shed they were waiting on was frosty. No, not frosty. It was unbelievable cold that frost would be an understatement. Winter was coming, and the shed (which was made of metal) didn't bother to wear a jacket.

Karin was sitting beside Toushiro and Yuzu. But Yuzu and Jinta were wrapped inside a nice coat that he was wearing. Karin looked at Toushiro's pale face. Toushiro was only wearing a polo, and Karin was in a mini-skirt.

Then Yuzu's phone rang. Yuzu jumped. Yuzu panicked.

"Where is my phone?" she asked. Jinta rolled his eyes and took it out of her pocket.

It was Ichigo.

"Onii-san?" asked Yuzu. Then she snatched the phone away from his hands.

"Yuzu, I can't drive you back home." he said. Yuzu grimaced.

"What? Nii-san, we are all freezing here. How are we going to get home?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes. Karin groaned. Ready the water works.

"I can't. I still have a few patients here at the hospital waiting, and if I leave there will be trouble." he said sadly. Yuzu sighed heavily.

"Okay. See you." she said, and snapped her phone shut. She turned angrily, her blond hair whipping Jinta right in the face.

"What?" asked the three at the same time.

"He can't drive us back." she muttered. Karin stood up.

"WHAT!?" she said, accompanied with another angry voice aka, Jinta.

"It seems we have to get the bus." said Toushiro. Karin looked at him angrily.

"No way am I going to ride a stupid bus." she said. Jinta nodded.

"I agree, and that's saying something since me and Karin don't agree." he said. Yuzu sighed.

"And there won't be any buses now, since the weather is pretty much getting worse." she said. Toushiro closed his eyes.

"Then we walk." he said.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro felt his hands. Cold. Karin's hands were cold too, and they're body heat was not enough to keep them both warm.

"God, I hate this." muttered Karin. Toushiro grinned at her.

"It's okay." he said.

Then suddenly a rain pour. Karin cursed and dragged Toushiro to the nearest shed.

"Wait, we're almost there." he said loudly through the rain. Jinta and Yuzu were together, and Karin and Toushiro were running for their clothes.

Then Toushiro looked at the sight. Jinta was using his own coat to shade Yuzu, and he was running with her, his arms around her protectively. He didn't love her? That didn't look like not loving.

In fact, even if he denied it, he was definitley in love.

**A/N: Grr... I wasn't very happy writing this chapter cause my mom is at my neck trying to make me do my projects. Im sorry again, Im having a hard time now. Anyway, that was the latest chapter. A little hurried, yes. I wasn't able to put much of what I wanted to put here. I actually wanted to add a IchiRuki part, but maybe that has to wait for the next chapter. It's pretty long you see. Review please.**


	43. Crying in the rain

**A/N: Okay Hitsukarin fans. This is my latest chapter, and it's an IchiRuki chapter. I hope you don't mind, but this is an important chapter if I want to move on and go back to Soul Society. So yeah, if you aren't a fan, please bear with me. :D And if you are, well, here it is!**

**(This chapter is dedicated to my online buddy Arena01. She and I met at a bleach chat room. I know you have been reading my story and you better review. And yes, she likes IchiRuki.)**

**Chapter 42: Crying in the rain**

Ichigo sighed heavily. His head was pounding with every muscle in his worn out brain. He was a doctor, you see. Following the path of his dad... But he wasn't going to stay at the clinic forever. As soon as he graduated in college, he was set to become an intern.

Now, in his matching blue jumper uniform, he was holding a scalpel, watching a patient die. The patient had a brain tumour, and as far as he could see, the surgeon was having a hard time compressing all the blood.

And that wasn't all. He was under pressure. He had to drive the kids back home, and he didn't know how to tell Yuzu that yes, there were more patients in the emergency room. And no, he can't drive them back because all the other interns were back home drinking hot cocoa in the frosty weather.

"Time of death, 6:28 pm." called out the doctor. Ichigo looked away.

Death... It was a word that he never really cared about. He knew about Soul Society, and he was never really scared of dying. In fact, he wanted to die already and get on and become a friggin' captain. But there was one reason why he was a doctor.

In fact, knowing what was at Soul Society... At Rukongai. It wasn't comforting at all. He knew full well, that heaven was in fact hell.

He looked at the patient's pale face. He didn't know this person...

Then out of the corner of his eyes, the dead patient was whimpering and crying as he watched his dead body become wrapped by the doctors.

Ichigo looked at him, and he looked back.

"Don't worry." whispered Ichigo to him.

"Huh?" asked the ghost.

"You'll be in a better place soon." said Ichigo.

That was a lie.

**KI/KR**

"I want to go back." grunted Rukia.

She was inside the closet, and hasn't come out for hours. She wondered if anyone even noticed that she wasn't in the room that they gave her.

Rukia wanted to go back to Soul Society. There was no need to be here... Not being wanted at all.

_Ichigo took Rukia and they both walked slowly to the park. You would think that it was romantic, but it wasn't one bit. An icy wall was between them, and neither Ichigo nor Rukia knew how to break it._

"_So..." started Rukia. Ichigo stopped and looked at her pale face._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked gently. He didn't need to beat around the bush, and small talk would be useless._

"_I was just sent here." she replied a little forcibly. True enough, she was sent there. But no, it wasn't the only reason._

"_Oh." said Ichigo. _

"_Yup." said Rukia._

_Awkward much?_

"_Why'd you..." kiss me. Ichigo wanted to say._

_Rukia looked away, her face was pink._

"_I kissed you because you were about to kill yourself." said Rukia. Ichigo laughed. It wasn't friendly, but knowing._

"_Ah, was that it? Cause I was about to kill myself? Then why was the kiss... full of feeling?" he asked. Rukia blanched._

"_What are you trying to imply, Ichigo?" she asked icily._

"_What I'm trying to imply is that you like me!" he burst out of nowhere._

_Rukia's eyes widened._

"_So it's true then." said Ichigo silently. Rukia turned back at him._

"_That you are an ass? Yes." said Rukia heavily._

_So he knew._

"_No... That you like me." said Ichigo slowly, ignoring her devious remark._

_Rukia gulped. Yes. Yes it was._

"_Yes." she replied. Then added, "And it's not like... It's... It's... Love." _

**KI/KR**

"So... Ichigo." said Ishida.

Ishida also decided to follow his dad's footsteps. Funnily enough, the two rivals are now best friends. They spent the whole college life being block mates.

They were both interns, and Ishida looked very... Doctor-y in his pink suit. He decided to become a pediatrician.

"What do you want, Uryuu?" asked Ichigo, a little annoyed. He was outside the hospital, and he was in his shinigami clothes, his zanpakuto next to him.

"I heard that guy died in your hands." he replied. Ichigo looked at him.

"Technically it wasn't in my hands... It was on the doctors." replied Ichigo. Ishida chuckled.

"Fine." said Ishida.

They haven't talked in a week, because Ishida had to handle things at home.

"How's Inoue?" asked Ichigo.

"Pregnant as ever... And she craves for the oddest things." said Ishida, his glasses fogging weirdly.

"Ahhh... Yeah, I would have gotten that already. Girl or a boy?" asked Ichigo.

"I don't really mind you know... Whichever fits my hands... I will love." he said.

"That's deep, man." said Ichigo.

Ishida fixed his glasses.

"When are you getting married, Ichigo? You are the only single man in our age." said Ishida. Ichigo looked at him.

"I'm waiting for the right one." said Ichigo. Ishida looked at him like he was off his rocker.

"What are you talking about? You've been with Tatsuki for as long as I remember!" said Ishida loudly.

Ichigo glared at him.

"Shut up. You know full well that I love someone else." said Ichigo. Ishida sighed.

"Kuchiki-san... Right?" asked Ishida.

"That's right."

_Ichigo wanted to scream out loud that he loved her too._

"_Oh." That was all he said. Rukia felt her eyes tear up._

_So, the biggest proclamation of her life... And all he said was..._

"_Oh." said Rukia, her voice a little shaky to be allowed._

"_I-Ihaveagirlfriend." said Ichigo. Baka. So what?_

"_Huh?" asked Rukia. _

"_I have a girlfriend." he said again slowly._

_Rukia felt like punching him. _

"_Who?" she asked, not knowing what to say._

_Ichigo felt his heart drop as he saw the tears in Rukia's eyes._

"_Tatsuki." he said._

"_Oh."_

**KI/KR**

"Rukia-chan!" called out Isshin. She hasn't come down yet, and he was worried that there was something wrong with her.

Rukia sat up. She didn't want to be found... And she opened the closet door slowly, and jumped out to the pouring rain.

She walked on, and the rain felt welcome to her. It was cold, but she didn't notice.

There it was the exact pole that she first stepped on when she came to Karakura. It still looked the same, and it was a little annoying how things never seem different even when it's already almost 10 years.

The rain splattered on her face, feeling exactly how tears would... And then she realized... She was crying.

"_I'm not going to cry." she told Ichigo. Ichigo watched as she wiped her tears with the back of her hands._

"_I-I..." he wanted to say that he loved her so much... But for some reason, he was afraid. _

_Afraid of what exactly? That he didn't know._

"_Don't apologize. It's stupid of me to actually think that you would love me back." said Rukia, her voice still shaky._

"_No... Wait!" he called out. Rukia was walking away, and then she looked back at him fiercely._

"_Let's get back." she said. Ichigo shook his head._

"_Let's stay here for a while." he said. Rukia bit her lip. Why?_

"_I-I..." _

"_Come on... They're all probably sleeping now. And it wouldn't be nice to wake them all." he said as an excuse. Stupid cliché. _

_Rukia frowned. Yeah right._

_But then she found her feet walking to him... She wanted to stop it... But her desire to be with him..._

"_Ichigo." she said as she came back and sat next to him._

"_Hmm?"_

"_You don't have to do this... I don't want your sympathy." grunted Rukia. Ichigo smiled at the sky._

"_What makes you think that I'm giving you sympathy?" _

**KI/KR**

Ichigo took off his gloves and splashed his face with water. It was already about 9 pm, and he had to get home already. Ishida went home a few hours ago because he had to run off and get more bean paste for his very pregnant wife.

He felt a little jealous of him, because he had someone to love... And someone to take care off soon. Ichigo is 25 years old, and many would think that he has to be married by now.

As he put on his shirt, he wondered why Karin found someone, and he... Well, he just can't bring up the guts to confess to Rukia...

Stupid.

_His eyes flickered open, and he realized that he had fallen asleep. And to his surprise, Rukia was sitting next to him, also asleep and he face more gentle than he has ever seen before._

"_Rukia." He whispered. She didn't answer, and his face went nearer, to find that she was vulnerable. She was different looking. She was beautiful._

_A tiny figure would have cracked under his pressure, but she never did. She was strong. She was weak. She was a shining star that he couldn't reach._

_But then he remembered, this little star had fallen on him, but like anyone who sees a falling star come down on him, he jumped away... he avoided her. He didn't want her._

_But then again, if he said that he didn't want her... It would be a lie._

_Suddenly, Rukia stirred. Then her eyes shot up, and she jumped back, when she saw that Ichigo was only an inch from her face._

"_What are you doing?" she asked loudly. Then her eyes fogged. The sun was bellowing at them both, and Rukia's eyes stinged. _

_Ichigo didn't say a thing as she stood up, dusted her dress and look at him._

"_We should get back." she said, and then she walked away. Ichigo let her walk ahead of him, and his heart was at his feet._

**KI/KR**

Ichigo rolled his window up. The rain was heavy, and he felt guilty in sending Yuzu and the others back in the rain. He hoped against hope that they were back home, safe and dry.

Then suddenly, there she was. Rukia... A few inches next to a pole... And her head was staring up in the sky.

He opened his door, and unconsciously walked over to her, hearing her sob.

She was crying.

**KI/KR**

Rukia tried to stop her tears, but it wasn't possible as it started falling uncontrollably like a broken faucet. She didn't even notice that someone was staring at her.

"Why do you cry in the rain?" asked someone behind her. She jumped and saw that it was Ichigo, drenched... his car's headlights fogging a nearby gate.

Rukia didn't say anything.

"Is t because you can pretend that the rain is your tears... And the wind is why your eyes are red?" he asked. No reply.

"Or is it because of me?" he asked. This time Rukia scrunched her face.

"You think?" she asked slowly. Ichigo nodded. Rukia blushed as she felt his hand on her shoulders.

"Why are you here?" he asked again. Rukia closed your eyes.

"You know why!" she said loudly. Ichigo grinned.

"Do you know why I'm here? Drenched in the rain? My health dangling on my shoulders?" he asked. Rukia wondered where he was going.

"No." she replied angrily. She wanted to push of his hands from her shoulders, but she found that her hands were numb.

"That's because I just realized how much I love you... Kuchiki Rukia." he said loudly. Rukia's eyes widened as Ichigo's mouth met with hers and they shared a kiss that would forever bind them.

_9 years ago..._

_Rukia stared. Ichigo was slowly turning purple and he looked like he wanted to strangle someone._

"_What? Why that little white-haired kid! I forbid you to go out with such!" cried the over protective brother._

_Karin rolled her eyes and smirked at his feeble attempts to jump out the window (Rukia had him on a headlock)._

"_Let go of me Rukia! I'm going to strangle that son of a—"_

_Rukia pushed him in the closet and whispered in his ear,_

"_You know Ichigo... Love is an odd thing." she said. Then placed a kiss on his mouth, and banged his face on the closet wall._

_Ichigo groaned and was about to do something when Rukia put out chappy the bunny and flicked it in his eyes._

"_You shouldn't remember that."_

She didn't know... That Ichigo was immune to the memory erasing gadget.

**A/N: YAY! I loved it. Short and sweet. Okay, how was it? I promise that it's going back to Hitsukarin. But this is a sort of demo chapter for more understanding. And I might write an IchiRuki one-shot soon. Or not... REVIEW!**


	44. His sunshine, Her darkness

**A/N: This chapter is AGAIN not Hitsukarin, but this time its JinYuzu! IchiRuki was a success, and it won't be fair for Yuzu and Jinta if they don't have a chapter for themselves, don't you think? **

**Tell me by reviewing si'l vou plait! **

**Chapter 43: His sunshine, her darkness**

"I wish I can tell that I love her... She is my sunshine, and I am her darkness... I don't want to hurt her... Knowing I could... Knowing that one day, if I try or say it even once, she will never rise up and become my sunshine. My denial is awful... But her love is worse."

Jinta looked up from his magazine. Urahara was reading one of those stupid little pocketbooks, and Jinta couldn't help but listen. He knew that the story was getting deeper, but that last phrase got him. It almost sounded like it was meant for him.

He shook his head and went back to his magazine, which had a girl on the cover who was practically naked except for that hot pink bikini. Urahara looked up from the pocketbook knowingly, and hid his grin.

'_So he noticed.' _thought Urahara cheekily.

_Four years ago..._

"_Jinta... Have you heard?" asked Ururu. Jinta looked at her, and then frowned angrily. _

"_Is this another one of Kisuke-san's chores? Because if it is... I—"he wanted to say that he was too busy, but Ururu shook her head heavily._

"_No." she said. Jinta stood up and dusted his shirt then crossed his arms._

"_What?" he asked. Ururu looked away demurely._

"_Karin... Remember her?" she asked. Jinta nodded. Ururu grimaced. Then Jinta grabbed her shoulders._

"_WHAT?" he asked loudly in her ear, getting very impatient._

"_Karin... Karin's dead." she said. Jinta took his hands off her and looked at the path going to the Kurosaki household._

"_Urahara-san said we should pay our respects to her at her funeral." said Ururu. Jinta sighed heavily._

"_I guess we should." he said._

**HJ/KY**

Yuzu looked out at the window; she was brushing her long golden locks, when she heard a bang at the room of Karin. Yuzu jumped off her chair, and ran to Karin's room hurriedly.

"Karin! What's going on?" asked Yuzu as she pushed the door loudly.

Karin was looking angrily at the Toushiro, who was looking angry himself. Karin seemed to be ignoring Yuzu.

"What are you saying? Getting married early will ruin it!" she said. Toushiro stood up and glared at her.

"I'm saying that... Because the earlier the better! Is there even a point to wait?!" he asked. Karin jabbed a finger on his chest.

"_Because_! Because we need time to get everything fixed!" she shouted. Toushiro took her hand and showed her the icy-blue ring on her finger.

"I'm not going to change my mind! I want to marry you... As soon as possible! Do you even think I can wait?!" he asked. Karin blushed.

"WAIT FOR WHAT EXACTLY!?" she asked loudly. Yuzu blinked.

"**YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT**!" he said louder. Karin gulped. Toushiro gulped. Did her just say that? Yup, he did.

Yuzu bit her lip and ran out of the room.

As she walked back to her room, her eyes glazed as she wished... Wished that Jinta and she would argue like that.

_Yuzu bent down the floor speechless with shock. Isshin looked floored too. Karin's body was hanging limply carried by Matsumoto's sad face. She said that Karin died off an accident, and she found her bloodied and mangled on the ground at the park. _

_Isshin knew well enough what happened, but as he heard a sob beside him, he realized that for the first time ever, Yuzu was trying to hold back her tears that dared. _

_Matsumoto laid her down on the couch. Everyone surveyed her calm face, but Yuzu's eyes were too blurred to see that Karin was actually smiling. Isshin's face was already tear-stained, but he felt no anger... No remorse. He knew that she was somewhere better now... But he only hoped that she would be well and be with her mother._

_Yuzu took Karin's hands and sniffed._

"_Karin..." she whispered in her ear, hoping that she could hear. Isshin looked away and smiled sadly at the picture of Masaki... Giving off a silent wish that they would meet each other soon. _

**HJ/KY**

Jinta threw the magazine to the side in a bored way, and sighed.

"How was your date with Yuzu-chan?" asked Urahara with a grin. Jinta looked at him, and then to the book between them on the table.

"Fine... Ururu home yet?" he asked. Urahara shook his head and started fanning himself, which was pointless because it was freezing.

It was so cold that they could see their breath.

"She's still out with her boyfriend. Honestly, I worry about her. She seems to be too busy to hang out with me." he said. Jinta raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fatherly?" asked Jinta. Urahara laughed.

"You could say that. After all, I kept found you both on my steps since you were a baby." he said.

Jinta sighed again then jumped as he heard excited footsteps in the store's main area. He jumped up and found Ururu jumping up and down with Tessai, a bag of what seemed like clothes in her hand.

"What the HELL are you doing, Ururu?" asked Jinta, feeling the need to jump up and down too.

Ururu stopped jumping and threw the bag at Jinta, who caught it with his arms.

"What...?" he asked. Ururu giggled.

"Jinta-kun... My boyfriend just bought me a dress!" she said loudly. Tessai smiled at her, and then disappeared.

"So?" asked Jinta, wondering where this was going. Ururu sighed that sounded so not like her.

"That means that I'm going to meet his parents soon!" she said. Urahara coughed loudly, and then walked out to the store room and stopped fanning himself, eyeing the dress and then Ururu.

"Is that true?" he asked. Ururu smiled then bowed.

"Of course, Urahara-san! Look!" she said, and then picked out the dress with a flourish that displayed the most beautiful dress. It was simple and it didn't have any sparkles or anything... It was plain... Simple. That's what made it pretty.

"_He _paid for it? It looks expensive." said Urahara after touching the dress' fabric.

"Oh yes! Actually, it went like this. We were in the park. You know, the one with a fancy sort of walking mall. Then it started raining. He helped me and we found ourselves inside the store. And I spotted this dress... As I tried it on, I realized I didn't have a penny on me. So I decided to test him..." she said perkily.

Urahara smiled.

"Is that the—"he asked. Ururu clapped her hands together.

"Yes! I went out with the dress and said I was going to buy it!" she said. Jinta pulled back.

Why was everything so familiar to him today?

_Jinta!" called out Yuzu. Jinta appeared next to her._

_"What?" he asked. Yuzu smiled at him._

_"Think this looks good on me?" she asked. Jinta stared at her._

_"Sure." he said._

_"Im going to get it." she said, looking for a wallet._

_"Okay." said Jinta, and then ran off to the other side looking at the shoe racks._

"I know that trick." said Urahara with a nod. Ururu laughed, and then hugged the dress to her body.

"I don't know what I would have done to him if he said 'okay'. I would have broken up with him!" she burst. Urahara patted her head.

Jinta gasped loudly, making Ururu and Urahara look at him like he had 8 arms. Jinta gulped.

_"What?" he asked. Yuzu bit her lip._

_"Nothing." she said, and as he turned his head back to the racks, Yuzu went back inside the changing room and dumped the clothes back to the lady-in-waiting._

"DAMN." he cursed. Then he ran out to the rain, ignoring the freezing sensation in his stomach as he ran to mall before it closes.

_Running, walking... What was the difference? Why did they have to hurry to a funeral anyway? Either way... You'd get to where you want to go. Useless..._

_Jinta was grimacing, his face red. Ururu looked at him, and then tapped his shoulder gently._

"_Jinta-kun... Is there anything wrong?" she asked gently. Urahara and Tessai looked at him at the corner of their eyes. Yoruichi in cat form started leaping to see him. _

"_Yes, why do I have to attend the funeral of the girl that tried to steal MY spotlight?!" he asked grumpily. Ururu sighed._

"_Urahara-san knew her father, right?" she asked to Urahara who nodded vehemently. Jinta snorted._

"_Then you should go attend that funeral yourself! I have better things to do!" he shouted. Tessai was about to say something, when Urahara flicked Jinta on the forehead, which made him go off-balance._

"_Hey!" he cried. Urahara bent down so that they could meet face to face._

"_It's not that... I know you and Karin-chan aren't exactly friends." he said. Jinta groaned._

"_Then why do I have to go?" he asked heavily, massaging his swollen forehead._

"_Because... Yuzu... Her sister... Needs a friend." he said. Ururu nodded with a tiny smile. _

_Jinta blinked._

"_The 'Raku' girl, huh?" he asked. Nobody answered him as he walked on ahead of them._

_Even in cat form, they could have sworn they saw Yoruichi smirk._

**HJ/KY**

Yuzu closed her eyes. Then opened them again as she wondered what Karin and Toushiro were doing that they couldn't be heard at all. To her surprise, she saw Toushiro's hand. She walked to the window and watched as Karin was being pulled up to the rooftop.

"Oh... So that's it, huh?" she said with a smile.

A little disappointed as she was that they haven't exactly spent time with each other, Yuzu was happy for Karin. And she remembered how she was sad when she left... She should be happy that Karin was back.

"_Sorry about your sister." said a voice from behind her. Yuzu was sitting in the grass at the cemetery. The funeral just ended, and she didn't want to stare at the hole in the ground anymore. _

_She looked behind her, to find Jinta standing behind her his arms crossed. He wasn't looking at her, but at the horizon. Yuzu wiped her tears and sniffed._

"_Hey, Jinta-kun. What are you doing here?" she asked then added a little roughly, "You and Karin-chan didn't exactly get along."_

"_Hmm. I guess we are on the same page then." he said with a smirk. Then Yuzu felt him sit beside her on the grass._

"_You shouldn't miss her." he said. Yuzu looked at him._

"_Why? I mean, she is my sister." she said tonelessly. Jinta looked up in the sky that was shining bright._

"_She's in a better place now... And you'll see her." he added. Yuzu laughed for the first time in days._

"_In 60 years, maybe." she said. Jinta smiled at her._

"_Sooner." he said. Yuzu pouted at him, almost annoyingly._

"_You want me to die, Jinta-kun?" she asked. Jinta rolled his eyes._

"_I didn't say anything like that, baka." he said. Yuzu smiled, and then stared at the sky._

"_I'm still going to miss her." she said. Jinta smirked again._

**HJ/KY**

Jinta breathed heavily as he saw the mall a few steps away from him. Thankfully enough, it was a weekend, meaning the stores closed a few hours later than the usual. He ran inside, ignoring the stares and points he was getting from girls.

Yes, his muscular abs was showing from his very, very wet t-shirt. And it didn't help that he looked cooler than possible with the wet hair ala South Beach.

Then he spotted it. The store. He walked in, and the woman who was manning the cashier crinkled her nose in annoyance and stepped out of the cashier with a huff.

"Sir. If you would be so kind to leave... I'm sure you don't have anything to buy. And with your wet shirt... And clothes per se I don't think it's appropriate for you to touch anything." she said in a hah-i-got-you way.

"Oh, well... I'm looking for a present for my girlfriend, and I wanted to come here as soon as possible." he said, ignoring her looks. The girl looked perkier.

"Really? You should have said so, sir. Please... Take your time." she said, in a way when your teacher gives you an A+.

Jinta gave her a winning smile, and saw the dress at the corner, dumped at the 'iron-out' rack. He grasped it and threw it at the lady.

When he finally got it wrapped, he hoped against hope that it wasn't raining anymore.

When he looked out... It still was.

**HJ/KY**

"Why won't the rain stop? Karin and Toushiro are going to get sick!" she exclaimed, a little worried about them. But then she sighed.

Why was she worried? Karin is a woman... And Toushiro looks like he's the type of person that won't allow them to get sick.

Worthless worries were really... Worthless. She stopped combing her hair, and placed the hairbrush next to her.

Ah, how she wished something magical would happen. How she wished she was the one threatening her health at the top of the roof with a lover.

How she wished that she would be wet in the rain with Jinta.

Then suddenly she heard tapping noises on her window, when she opened it, a breeze whipped her on the face, and it immediately dawned to her that she was wet. And yes, her night gown was thin.

She looked down, to find Jinta smiling up at her.

"Let your hair down!" he screamed. Yuzu laughed.

"I don't think I can! Come in! You might get sick!" she screamed back. Jinta shook his head.

"Come out! I have something for you!" he said. Yuzu blushed.

"O-Okay." she said, not knowing if he heard it or not.

Then she ran down the stairs, and opened the door to find Jinta standing in the rain, soaked from head to feet, a smile on his face and carrying a package.

"Jinta! Come in!" she shouted. Jinta gestured for her to come out.

And when she did, shivers went down to her spine, and she blinked at him when she came nearer, her eyes wet... She didn't know if she was crying.

"Here." he said, giving her the package. Yuzu looked at him with her eye brow raised.

"What?" she asked. Jinta shook his head and mouthed for her to open it. And to her surprise... There it was, in all its glory... The dress. Wet, but still very cute.

Yuzu didn't understand.

"You didn't have to." she said shakily. Jinta sniffed.

"On the contrary, I had to. I'm sorry... I messed up." he said. Yuzu put her arms around him.

"Thank you." she whispered in his ears.

Jinta smiled.

"I love you." He said, wondering where those words came from. He surprised himself and Yuzu who pulled back with shock, and then she grinned.

"I love you too, you dope!" she cried.

Then the dark clouds parted, and the sun shined on them. Jinta blinked at the sky.

"What do you know... You really are my sunshine." he said. Yuzu laughed and kissed him.

**A/N: Okay, so it's a late entry. I can't find any time to put in another chapter. Thankfully, my schedule permitted me today. :D So what'dya think? Reviews are highly appreciated. And yes, next chapter will be Histukarin. **


	45. When swords collide

**A/N: Ahh, thankfully i'm back to Hitsukarin. It was a little hard to think of what to write next because I know full-well that they have to go back to SS now. Sooooooooo... Hopefully, you all like this chapter as much as you did the others. :D**

**Review please!**

**Chapter 44: When swords collide**

Karin and Toushiro walked slowly up the stairs. They were both dripping wet, and even if Isshin practically ordered Karin to take a nice, hot bath, she really wasn't in the mood... The cold rain shower was enough to clean her, or so she thought.

Karin let out a huge sneeze, and Toushiro raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you alright?" he asked. A soul would never get sick. That was rare, and you wouldn't hear them sneeze either. Karin giggled, and nodded her wet head.

"Why are you so worried? It's just a sneeze!" she exlaimed. Toushiro placed an arm around her.

"You should take a bath." he said. Karin blushed. Toushiro looked very handsome with wet hair. Who would have thought that the wet look looked good on him? She felt a little conscious since her skirt was pretty wet, and it could slip off her anytime since it was loose.

"Uhh..." she said. Toushiro sighed and led her up to the washroom. Karin felt herself be pushed in the washroom, then the door closed. As she was about to take off her shirt, Toushiro peaked in with his eyes tightly shut. He was holding the jeans she spotted in her clost, along with a nice tank top.

"You should change. You might get sick if you put on those clothes again." he said, then he banged the door shut. Karin could hear him muttering to himself about opening his eyes. Karin blushed again as she looked at the clothes he handed her.

He really was the sweetest thing, and even the simplest things like this... She bet that he didn't realize it meant a lot to her. As she shed her clothes, she locked the door with a loud click, and sneezed again.

Then Toushiro's voice sounded at the other side of her door.

"You okay?" he asked. He didn't leave did he? Nope.

"Y-Yeah." replied Karin with a small smile. Then she added, "Toushiro, get dressed."

Then thudding off footsteps. Karin giggled. She would bet anything that Toushiro was still there. Standing beside the door, making sure that Karin was really alright.

**HT/KK**

She sighed. It felt good to take a bath. Karin looked around and smiled, she was sure that as soon as he heard the door click, he shunpoed to the room since the door was open in an awkward angle, like he slipped in, but failed to do it discreetly.

Karin stepped in the room, a towel wrapped around her head. She learned this trick from Masaki, since she was having a hard time handling her long hair.

Toushiro looked up. He was sitting on her chair, reading some notes from her school work. He had a silly smile on his face, that was somehow marked with a little glazed look.

"I hope you weren't sneaking in my stuff, Toushiro." said Karin as she placed the very wet towel on the bed frame. Toushiro smiled at her.

"You were tops in school?" he asked. Karin nodded shyly. She never told anyone about that, mainly because she didn't want to be acknowledged about being good in school. But the only reason she made it well was so because she could stay in the soccer team, and never get kicked out for poor grades like some of her team mates. That would've been a bummer.

"Yeah, I was pretty good. But only because I needed to." she pointed out. Toushiro put down the notebook and put a hand on his hair.

"Uhh, Karin. Have you planned the wedding yet?" he asked. Karin blushed, then sighed.

"I'm trying too. But being somewhere else and far away from the place we are going to get married is pretty hard to plan." she said. Toushiro sighed.

"Well, we should get it over with. If this goes on longer i'd go crazy." said Toushiro, a little bit anxiously. Karin sat down next to him.

"What are you talking about? It's not like we are getting married... I don't know... Next month." she said with a small laugh, and she looked at him thinking he was laughing too. But then she realized he looked quite serious with what she said.

"We aren't?" he asked questionably. Karin's eyes widened.

"I don't want to rush into this Toushiro." she replied somewhat coldly. Toushiro sighed.

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked.

Karin looked at him and his sad eyes. She wasn't having second thoughts. In fact, ever since he proposed, not a single doubt entered her mind. And here he was, thinking that she was having second thoughts!

"I'm not having second thoughts! You know I love you." said Karin, her voice getting louder. Toushiro looked away.

"Then we should get this over with already." he said with a small tone. Karin seethed.

"Why are you rushing?!" she asked, then she stood up. Toushiro gritted his teeth.

"I already told you why I want to marry you already!" he said, losing his patience.

Karin took the notebook from the bed and banged it loudly on the ground with a stomp. Toushiro looked shocked at her reaction. Karin was about to come nearer him, when Yuzu went in.

YUZU? What was she doing there? Where they that loud?

"Karin! What's going on?" asked Yuzu as she pushed the door loudly.

Karin and Toushiro ignored her.

"What are you saying? Getting married early will ruin it!" she said. Toushiro stood up and glared at her.

"I'm saying that... Because the earlier the better! Is there even a point to wait?!" he asked. Karin jabbed a finger on his chest.

"_Because_! Because we need time to get everything fixed!" she shouted. Toushiro took her hand and showed her the icy-blue ring on her finger.

"I'm not going to change my mind! I want to marry you... As soon as possible! Do you even think I can wait?!" he asked. Karin blushed.

"WAIT FOR WHAT EXACTLY!?" she asked loudly. Yuzu blinked.

"**YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT**!" he said louder. Karin gulped. Toushiro gulped. Did her just say that? Yup, he did.

They watched Yuzu run out of the room. Karin was blushing. Toushiro was blushing.

"So... That's it... Isn't it." said Karin slowly. Toushiro didn't say anything.

"I-I... I don't want to force you to do it, Karin." he said. Karin shook her head.

"I would think that you only want to marry me for my body." she said, a little bit sadly. Toushiro watched as Karin fimbled with the hem of her shirt and then he placed an arm around her gently, watching her body stiffen.

"No... You know that's not the reason." he whispered in her ear. Karin relaxed her body as Toushiro hugged her body lightly.

"I'm sorry. I guess i'm pretty much over-reacting." she said. Toushiro smiled in her hair.

"I'm sorry I raised my voice at you. It's silly, fighting over when we should get married. The important thing is that we get married, right? The date won't matter." he said. Karin giggled.

"Yeah." she replied.

And that was that.

**HT/KK**

They walked down hand in hand. It wasn't exactly their first fight... But it was also the first time that they actually screamed at each other. And they were arguing about... It. They spotted Isshin fixing the couch below they were pretty sure that it was for Toushiro. Isshin looked up then gave a smile.

"Ahh! Toushiro-kun. I see that you are already fixed up. Well, if I were you you'd get some sleep. You seem exhausted." he said. Toushiro looked at Karin who grimaced at him.

They were both hoping that they could sleep on the roof again. But it looks like they can't. The strong rain was still pouring mercilessly outside. Karin crossed her arms then Isshin raised an eyebrow at them.

"We don't have any arguements about that... Am I right?" he asked a little forcibly. Toushiro shook his head. Karin sighed.

"Okay, dad. But can you at least let me stay with Toushiro for a second." she said. Isshin seemed a little un-approving with even a second, but he nodded when he saw the look on Karin's face.

He left huffily and Karin looked at Toushiro.

"I guess we have to bunk without each other tonight." she said. Toushiro looked outside anguishly.

"I just don't understand the rain. Why, of all days..." he started. Then he stopped. Karin was smiling at him flirtily that he could almost read her mind.

"You don't think we can hang outside?" she asked. Toushiro sniffed.

"You might get sick." he argued. Karin crossed her arms again.

"Come on, Toushiro. I'm old enough to make my own decisions." she said. Toushiro smiled at her, and then took her hand.

"The roof it is, then." he said.

Toushiro picked Karin up, bridal style and ran up to her room excitedly. He put her on the bed, and Karin grinned as he opened the window, and a splash of rain swooshed on his hair, making him look cool again. He jumped out, and after a second gave her his hand. Karin took it, his hands were cold. For a second she hesitared. What if he gets sick? What if the rain won't stop? But then he peaked in and gave her a smile. And as Karin took it, she was took up to the roof.

"Whoa. This place looks different when it's raining." she said. Toushiro grinned at her through the rain.

"Of course... What did you expect?" he asked loudly. Karin laughed, and took a step. And it looked like slow motion. One second, she took a step... And the next her foot slipped and the roof acted like a slide. Toushiro's eyes widened and was about to reach for her... But then again, she was too fast for him.

She was falling... And then she caught on. Something. What was it? She opened her eyes as she realized that it was closed.

There it was, a glorious blue color. It was her ring. Her ring looked like it broke, and the stone on it shined as it's water hanged limply on what looked like a handle. She looked up. There, the handle! It wasn't a pole at all. It was Hyourinmaru. And Toushiro was holding his sword out to her, his face slightly flustered.

"That was close." she whispered. He didn't hear her.

"KARIN?! ARE YOU OKAY?!" asked someone below her. She looked down. Yuzu and Jinta... What were they doing there? Her soaked hands were freezing, when suddenly, the ring let go.

She was falling... And this time... Hyourinmaru didn't catch her.

**HT/KK**

He watched her laugh and slip. Toushiro moved with lightning speed moved his arms to catch her. But he couldn't. Her speed down the slope of the roof was to much for him. Then he felt an icy prescence about him, and realized that Hyourinmaru was now next to him. How'd that happen? Since when did Hyourinmaru move on his own accord. And to his surprise, a chain like ice was attached to the tip of his sword. Then he realized Karin was dangling from it.

"Thank God." he whispered to himself. So, it was really good that he made th ring with his sword, then. He didn't by any means realize that when he put Hyourinmaru in the ring that it would trigger it's use for Karin's purpose.

As he breathed a sigh of relief, he saw Karin say something, but he couldn't hear her.

"KARIN?! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

He looked down to find Yuzu and Jinta below. He realized it wasn't raining anymore. Then it happend. Hyourinmaru disappeared, and Karin was falling.

**HT/KK**

Karin heard a muffled voice. Falling... She didn't seem to be falling anymore. In fact, she was on a bed. A warm bed. Or was it? She opened her eyes and surprised herself when she realized she wasn't in her house. She seemed to be in a hut. She was on a futon.

"Where am I?" she asked herself. The room was made of wood, and so was the floor. It almost reminded her of Urahara Kisuke's store.

She was about to sit up, when she realized that a small pillow was next to her. It was warm, like someone spent a whole day there. She felt it. It felt like Toushiro.

Then she did sit up, and to her utter surprise, the futon was slightly wet.

"Oh yeah." she muttered as she remembered the rain. And the sudden backing off of the clouds.

How come Hyourinmaru let go off her?

Then she remembered the muffled voice. It was somehow saying,

"It's okay, Karin." like it was a broken record. It kept on saying it, again and again and again. It wasn't Toushiro. It was a woman. Very familiar too.

Could it be Dorajin? Karin hasn't exactly used her in weeks. Could it be her, seeking Karin?

Maybe. Or maybe she was the one who saved Karin. Maybe she was the one who told Hyourinmaru to let go.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro jumped off the roof and looked at Karin. She was un-injured, and yet she was unconscious. How could that happen? She fell off a roof, for God's sakes. Yuzu and Jinta were bent over her. They were checking her pulse.

"Oh, Karin." said Yuzu, she was crying. What a surprise.

Jinta's was grimacing, like the way you do when something was puzzling you.

"Did you see that?" he asked Toushiro. Toushiro looked at him from his side. He was sitting next to Karin. His jeans were muddy.

"Which bit? Karin falling or my sword letting go?" he asked roughly. Jinta sighed heavily.

"So you didn't." he said. Toushiro looked at him seriously.

"What did you see?" asked Toushiro. Jinta looked at the roof.

"When she was falling, naturally you'd be injured right? Well she isn't. And I saw it. A woman... With like blue hair... She appeared for a second next to you... I bet you didn't notice that. Then Karin fell. I thought she was a goner when the woman appeared next to Karin then brought her down as gently as possible." he said. Toushiro gaped at him.

Dorajin, was it?

"No doubt that's Karin's zanpakuto. Dorajin." he said. Then he added, "How come I didn't see her?"

"You probably couldn't since she was barely there. It was like she was a ray of light from the sun. Not even Yuzu could see her. I happen to have good eyes." he said. Yuzu stared at both of them.

"So it's like Dorajin told Hyourinmaru to let go." said Toushiro a little breathlessly. Jinta nodded.

"Weird. It's rare to find two swords cooperate with each other." said Jinta. Yuzu was looking like she had a million questions, but she didn't bother to ask.

"We should take her inside." said Yuzu. Toushiro shook his head.

He wouldn't. Not only because he was afraid that Isshin will kill him for bringing Karin to the roof, but he wanted some questions answered.

"We go to Urahara." he said. Jinta bit his lip, then stood up whilst dusting his pants.

Toushiro picked her up, and Yuzu and Jinta led the way.

**HT/KK**

"Apparently, Dorajin and Hyourinmaru has had a binding." said Urahara. Toushiro raised an eyebrow at him. They arrived there hours ago, and he just told Toushiro to watch over Karin while he thought things over. Jinta and Yuzu were out.

Now that he was getting impatient, be was about to say something when Urahara said those words.

"Zanapakuto binding?" he asked. Urahara nodded.

"It sounds a little unplausible... But--" he started. Toushiro sat down huffily.

"How can swords be binded?" he asked. Urahara sat down, and smiled at him.

"Ahhh, Hitsugaya taicho. You and Karin-chan are getting married, right?" he asked. Toushiro nodded not knowing where their conversation is going.

"In a rare event, a shinigami couple to be submitted to marriage are usually followed by their zanpakuto. The odd thing here is that the zanpakuto got binded before the shinigami." said Urahara. Toushiro closed his eyes for a second.

"Hmm... So you're telling me... Zanpakuto get married too after the couple do?" he asked. "But our sequence is pretty wrong?"

Urahara nodded, then fanned his face.

"Has the two zanpakuto ever had a meeting?" he asked. Toushiro nodded.

"There was this night... I'm pretty sure they were together. Even Karin noticed that." he said.

_They lied down on the roof, the cold air wrapping them like a blanket of ice. Then she realized that maybe that was Hyourinamaru. Then she felt a little tingling, and realized that was Dorajin._

"Ahh, taicho. That was it! A proof that they're binded." he said loudly. Toushiro sighed. Why was he so annoyingly perky?

"But, didn't you mention that the couple should be married first before the zanpakuto?" he asked. Urahara stopped smiling.

"I'm not sure about this... But zanpakuto know when things are about to happen." said Urahara. Toushiro sighed.

"And?"

"An event will happen soon that will test your relationship with Karin-chan. And the zanpakuto are making sure that your love will be there even with trials." he said with a menacingly low voice. Toushiro gulped.

"S-So Karin and I will have some problems soon?" he asked. More arguements? Trials? He didn't want that. He was hoping for some smooth sailing, after all.

"It's best to be ready." said Urahara. Toushiro nodded, feeling cold sweat on his forehead.

"What will happen if by any chance that trial will..." he couldn't say it. He couldn't say that it will break them up.

"Hyourinmaru and Dorajin will be gone." he said.

Toushiro wiped the sweat.

"Oh." he said. Urahara stopped fanning himself, and he closed the fan with a snap.

"Hitsugaya taicho, you shouldn't worry. I'm pretty sure whatever will happen to you won't be as bad as you think." he said soothingly. Toushiro nodded.

"I hope so." he said.

Silence enveloped both of them for a full minute, when Urahara stood up. Toushiro jumped.

"I'll go get us some food. It's pretty late, and we have to discuss somethings." he said. Toushiro nodded.

"Ah, yes." said Toushiro.

What things? They were going back to Sereitei with their shinigami powers, so they didn't exactly need Urahara's senkei gate.

Urahara disappeared for a moment, then came back with Tessai, who was holding a pile of food on a tray.

Toushiro sweat dropped. He wasn't that hungry.

They ate for a few minutes, until Urahara cleared his throat.

"Now, it's important that I tell you this first, Hitsugaya taicho." he said, then he added a little lowly, "If he finds out first, I wouldn't have any back-ups."

"Who's 'he'?" asked Toushiro. Urahara chortled.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." he said.

"Ohh..." said Toushiro, not really that interested. But then again, Urahara looked like he had news. "What is it?"

"You see... Kurosaki Ichigo is dead." he said.

Toushiro stopped chewing, and felt like sandpaper just slid down his throat.

**A/N: Hey dudes, ahaha. A cliffie over here will signify the importance of the next chapter. Yes, it may look like i'm going to invent something stupid and unbelievable. But the thing about Ichigo will stun you since I have REAL proof. :D I'm so excited to post the next chapter, you don't have to be shocked if I post it in three days. :P Review!**


	46. The truth about Kurosaki Ichigo

**A/N: Yay! New chapter. Okay, before you read this chapter and not believe a thing I say, you better watch Bleach 18. It pretty much explains it all if you notice the huge gaping hole Tite Kubo left open. Now, if you don't want to wait that long, r&r appreciated!**

**Chapter 45: The truth about Kurosaki Ichigo**

_Urahara stared at Ichigo's sweaty face. He was still in his uniform, and he was clutching a bag that looked like it had about a million clothes in it. It also looked like he just piled them all in and ran out the door without another word. _

_"Ahh, Kurosaki-kun! It's a pleasure to--" he started, but Ichigo cut him short._

_"You KNOW how to get Rukia back, right? Well, i'm doing it. Whatever it takes." said Ichigo determinedly. His eyes looked like it had fire in it. _

_"Hmm." said Urahara, he tapped his chin. He looked like he was thinking, but really he was smiling like an idiot inside because the plan was working perfectly._

_"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HMM'!!" screamed Ichigo. Urahara snapped his fan closed and looked at him in slow motion._

_"It's a matter of life and death." he said lowly. Ichigo blanched._

_"Do you think I care?" he asked roughly. Urahara smiled at him._

_"I guess that's an okay." said Urahara with slight amusement, and then he pushed him down the stairs._

_"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he cried._

_Urahara tapped his cane down and Tessai, Jinta and Ururu followed him down the steep, dark tunnel._

Toushiro slumped on his seat. Urahara looked at him with small eyes as if he was signaling a very important secret.

"Okay, so you're saying... Kurosaki is dead?" he asked. Urahara nodded.

"I'm sure you want to--"

"But how did that happen?" he asked loudly, interrupting him. Urahara sighed.

"Patience will get you far, Hitsugaya taicho. I was just about to mention it." he said amusedly. Toushiro nodded polietly.

"Fine, tell me what happend." he said. Urahara cleared his throat.

"Do you remember when Room 46 sent Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji to get Rukia-chan?" he asked. Toushiro nodded.

"He lost his powers then, and he really did. So I got him into training... We pulled out his soul." said Urahara. Toushiro looked at him skeptically.

"Okay, but that doesn't mean that he is actually dead!" he burst. Urahara laughed loudly.

"Ahh, I am not yet done." he said. Toushiro shut up. Urahara fanned his face.

"After we pulled his soul out, our second task was to be made. We cut his chain link." he said slowly. Toushiro gaped at him.

"Y-You cut his chain!?" he asked or shouted, whichever fits better. Urahara nodded. Then turned serious.

"I knew full well that after I cut the chain, he'd be dead. And he won't be connected to his body anymore, but we couldn't tell Kuroskai-kun... We had another job to do." said Urahara. Toushiro grimaced.

"Get his shinigami powers back, am I right?' he asked. Urahara nodded yet again.

"That's right. We threw him inside a pit... And i'm pretty sure you know what happens next." said Urahara with a raised eyebrow. Toushiro sighed.

"Erosion begins... But that happens after a few days or unsupplemented soul searching." he said. Urahara stood up so suddenly, that Toushiro jumped.

"YES! That's the genius for you!" he whooped. Toushiro growled angrily.

"Okay, please sit down and explain." he said lowly. Urahara coughed then sat down again.

"Soon after, he got his powers back... His sequence was completely out. I knew that it would be his downfall... Resisting. But in luck, he was a shinigami again... But there remains the fact that his chain..."

"... Was cut off." said Toushiro slowly. "S-So what you're saying is that if we pull his soul out... He wouldn't have a chain?"

"No, but that would only be if he isn't a shinigami... Since he is a shinigami, everytime you pull his soul out, he'd be in his uniform." said Urahara. There was silence for a few seconds, then Toushiro looked at him.

"And nobody noticed?" he asked. Urahara smiled at him.

"Somebody did... Abarai Renji." he said. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"Abarai?" he asked skeptically. Urahara put his fan down.

"He is the only person in Soul Society with a soul detector, am I right? Well, that particular gadget can tell if a person is in a gigai or not... And he did... That was one reason why he kept on calling Ichigo's body a gigai." he said. Toushiro shook his head.

"So he is in a gigai?" he asked. Urahara nodded.

"A gigai, like mine. Undetectable. You wouldn't notice if it's real or not unless you have Abarai's glasses." he said.

"Okay, now I have to ask... Why are you telling me this?" he asked. Urahara laughed again, but this time low and easy.

"Sereitei sent you here for him, right? They don't know he is dead... But now you do." he said. Toushiro nodded.

"I get it... You want me to bring him to Sereitei now." he said. Urahara nodded.

"Exactly, Hitsugaya taicho."

**HT/KK**

_Urahara looked at Tessai as they watched Ichigo get scared out of his wits because Ururu was flying at him. Ichigo was screaming, and Ururu looked like she really wanted to punch him already._

_"Tessai, do you mind if you could do something for me?" asked Urahara. Tessai nodded eagerly, as he always did when something great was about to happen, like he had to clean toilets or something._

_"Yes. Whatever you want." he said. Urahara put his hat down and said rather dramatically,_

_"We do **'Shattered Shaft'**." said Urahara. Tessai scratched his head._

_"But that would mean--" _

_"Yes, you must cut his chain off." he replied. Tessai crossed his muscled arms._

_"As soon as you do, we will throw Kurosaki-san into the pit that I asked Ururu to dig, and do whatever you can to hold his arms together. That is the only way that we could get back his powers in time." said Urahara. _

_"But we would have to kill Ichigo-dono in the process... What if he finds out?" asked Tessai. Urahara sighed heavily._

_"He won't... At least not until we really have to tell him." he said._

Karin gulped. She heard everything. Every. Single. Word.

"Ichi-nii... Is a soul?" she asked quietly. So, even she didn't notice. But that made sense... I mean, naturally if he dies, he'd go directly to Sereitei, but if he dies now... He'd be gone... Forever.

Karin turned back to the screen and listened intently.

"So if he dies... He'd die?" asked Toushiro. He sounded stupid, but he didn't know that he was voicing out exactly what he needed to. Urahara looked at him woefully.

"He doesn't know he is dead... So the best is to tell him, so that he won't do anything to kill himself yet again... If he does die now, he won't be a captain... except he'd be gone." said Urahara. Toushiro nodded.

"What do you suppose we do?" he asked. Urahara closed his eyes.

"We tell him."

"Damn." said Toushiro... This was going to be a long day.

**HT/KK**

_"What do you say we celebrate your passing of level one with..." started Urahara. Tessai jumped at him with a huge axe causing Jinta and Ururu to gasp in horror._

_Ichigo bounced back as the axe cut his chain into two._

_"... Level two." he finished._

_Ichigo gasped, and looked at his chain._

_"What the hell did you do?!" he asked loudly. Urahara cleared his throat._

_"I have cut your chain of fate, and now all you have to do is die." he said. Which was partially true, he didn't say that he was dead already... But if he did die... Well, you know what happens next._

_And in a split second, the ground vanished, and Tessai sat on him causing him to fall deep into the pit. _

_'Come on, Kurosaki-kun, you can do it.' thought Urahara as he watched him struggle to get up the pit. 'Come on.'_

"Rukia, mind telling me why you are trying so hard to steer my wheel away from my house?" asked Ichigo. He was annoyed, alright. Rukia was grabing his car's wheel roughly trying to get them away from the Kurosaki household.

Rukia huffed.

"I don't want to go back just yet." she said. Ichigo sighed.

"You might get sick. Look, you already have some snot sliding down your nose." he said, pointing it. Rukia blushed and wiped it off with her sleeve.

"Ichigo, you know I don't want to worry your dad. Besides, nobody knows about our relationship yet there... And I don't think I can handle the teasing just yet." she replied heavily. Ichigo stopped the gas, which almost caused Rukia to bump on the dashboard.

"Fine, but where do you suppose we could go? I mean, it's the middle of the night... And your dripping wet, which would be an embarrasing sight to look at if we check into a hotel." said Ichigo skeptically. Rukia gritted his teeth.

"Wow, you are such a ray of sunshine." she said. Ichigo laughed. Rukia clamped a hand on his face and said to his ear,

"We go to Urahara's. He ows me, anyway." said Rukia. Ichigo blushed. Ah, it was odd how intimate a simple whisper could get, not to mention the fact that they were both wet.

"O-Okay, good idea." he stuttered.

He turned on the gas and moved his wheel, so that they could go to the direction of the hut.

**HT/KK**

_Urahara watched as Ichigo emerged from the ashes. His sequence was well out of order, and even if that was true, he was very much thankful that he got his powers back._

_Ichigo fainted at that moment, and Urahara smiled at him. He really was a weird boy._

"How the HELL do you think we tell him? For God's sakes, he's about 25 now! You should have told him years ago." said Toushiro angrily. Urahara sighed.

"I would've, but you see... It is not really time to tell him. But now it is." said Urahara his lip twinging in a smile. Toushiro sighed annoyed.

Suddenly, the screen door of Karin burst open. Karin was sitting next to it, and it looks like she was pretty much shocked herself to find the door opening by itself.

"Ehe-heh." she laughed nervously. Toushiro was gaping at her, and Urahara smiled at her knowingly.

"How much have you heard?" asked Toushiro. Karin glared at Urahara. Urahara leaned and whispered to Toushiro,

"I'm guessing she heard everything." he said. Toushiro sighed again, but this time it had a mixture of relief. At least he didn't have to explain to Karin. Karin sat down next to him huffily.

"Okay, so how do you fix this?" asked Karin. Urahara smiled at her.

"We just tell him." he said. Karin blanched.

"I'm not telling him. Heck, even Toushiro isn't telling him. Since YOU are responsible of this... YOU are fixing it." said Karin pointing at him. Urahara gulped.

"Hey, no need to point." he said.

Karin was about to say something angrier, when the door banged open.

"Okay, who the heck is this now?" asked Toushiro with a sigh, forgetting his taicho composure.

"WHOOOO ISSSS ITTTT?" hooted Urahara.

"Hello?" asked someone from the outside. Karin turned pale.

It was Ichi-nii, alright.

**HT/KK**

_Puff. Pant. Ichigo was puffing and panting as Urahara weaved his sword facing him._

_"I am not letting you go to Sereitei with that much skill. In my standards, you won't even get a position. You are weak." spat Urahara. He didn't mean to sound so angry, but Ichigo was acting weak. He looked at him with spite._

_"Damn it. You could at least let me rest." he said with as much anger as he could possibly muster. A drop of blood fell on the ground, and he realized that his forehead was bleeding. _

_Urahara pointed his sword at him._

_"ENEMIES WON'T GIVE YOU REST." he said quietly, but the message was very much clear as he went for another attack, Ichigo barely missed it as sweat and blood fell more on his cheeks._

_"Fine, I know that!" cried Ichigo. Urahara put down his sword, and looked at Ichigo._

_"If I let you rest now, I will never let you go to Sereitei." he said. Ichigo looked at him, anger building up._

_And with one swift motion, he attacked._

Urahara jumped up from his seat, giving Toushiro a small look that says, 'help me!' In every aspect. Toushiro smirked as he put on a fake smile that made his face look like it is made of goo.

"Kurosaki-san! Please come in." said Urahara. The door banged open, to reveal a very, very, wet Rukia who had a red nose that could rival Ruddolf's. Ichigo was wet too, except his face was in shock as if he didn't expect Toushiro and Karin to be there. Oh wait, none of us expected that.

"TOUSHIRO!?" asked Ichigo.

"ICHI-NII?!" cried Karin.

"KARIN?!" boomed Rukia.

"KUCHIKI?!" screamed Toushiro.

"URAHARA!" shouted Urahara. Everyone looked at him, then everyone stared at each other.

"Okay, why the HELL are you here?" asked Ichigo. Rukia glared at him.

"Hey, you should respect him..." said Rukia. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"Why should I? I'm going to be a taicho soon." said Ichigo. "Anyway, why are you here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, Kurosaki." said Toushiro coldly.

"Well, Rukia needs some rest, and no way am I bringing her to my house, Toushiro." said Ichigo icily. Toushiro blanched.

"It's Hitsu--"

"Yes, _Hitsugaya taicho,_ we shouldn't be here. Goodbye!" said Rukia in a sickly sweet tone that reminded them of Willy Wonka. She was about to push Ichigo out when Ichigo pointed at him.

"You still haven't answered my question." he said menacingly. Toushiro crossed his arms.

"Karin fell down the roof." he said. And for the first time, Ichigo looked at Karin. and gripped her arms.

"But you don't have a wound." said Ichigo in surprise. Toushiro sighed. Karin forced Ichi-over-protective-baka-nii off her arms.

"Yes, well, she was sort of saved suddenly by her zanpakuto Dorajin... That's why I came here." said Toushiro. "She passed out, so I gave her some rest."

Ichigo looked at Urahara who was sipping tea now. Toushiro looked at them both and gritted his teeth as he noticed Urahara made no move to tell Ichigo the truth.

"So anyway, Kurosaki... Before anything... Urahara has something to tell you." he said forcibly. Toushiro looked at him and Urahara choked on his tea.

"I thought YOU were going to tell him, Hitsugaya-kuuuun." he said in a begging voice. Karin looked like she wanted to murder Urahara when Toushiro grabbed her hand and looked at Ichigo with an odd sort of smile.

"I'll tell you staright since I don't want to beat around the bush." said Toushiro slowly, as if explaining to a ten-year old. Ichigo nodded.

"What?" he asked anxiously.

"Well..." started Toushiro. Ichigo sniffed loudly.

"What?" he asked again. Toushiro glared at him.

"You see..."

"_WHAT_?" he asked again, this time louder. Toushiro looked at Karin, who was giggling.

"Kurosaki... You are... Uhh, spiritually challenged." he said. Karin burst out laughing. Urahara was gaping at Toushiro. Toushiro remained silent as he watched Ichigo turn purple.

"WHAT!?" he shouted. Spiritually challenged? The hell?

"Fine. Since you are such a child you can't understand it..." said Toushiro in disgust. Karin rolled on the floor, then stopped as Urahara stood up and placed an arm around Ichigo.

"What we are trying to say is... Kurosaki-kun... You are dead." said Urahara, threading in deep waters. Toushiro and Karin closed their eyes expecting a burst of shouts. Rukia had her jaw dropped.

"I-I..."

Then he fainted. Great.

**HT/KK**

Urahara_ opened the Senkai gate, and off they went. A silent sigh came from out of nowhere, and he realized he himself sighed it out. Tessai gripped his hands._

_"When do you plan to tell him the truth?" he asked in a serious voice you'd rarely hear from his otherwise freaky face._

_"Which bit? The part where I killed him... Or about Rukia?" asked Urahara adjusting his hat. Tessai shurgged._

_"Both, I think." he said. Urahara smiled from the shadow of his hat._

_"When the right time comes... I told you that." he said, then he walked away._

When Ichigo came too, Karin stood up as he watched him groan. Rukia was still fanning him, and she looked so shocked she wasn't speaking.

"Huh? Why am I on the floor? Why is Rukia fanning me? And why are you all in my room? TOUSHIRO!?" he asked loudly. Toushiro sighed. Urahara was still sipping tea.

"One, you fainted. Two, Rukia is fanning you... Cause you fainted. Baka. This is not your room... And Toushiro just tole you that you are dead." said Karin heavily.

"Oh, so that wasn't a dream." muttered Ichigo. Then he bolted up, causing Rukia to fall off balance.

"You have to tell me everything, Urahara-san... EVERYTHING." he said loudly. Urahara nodded, and he put down his cup.

"You better listen then." he said... Ichigo shivered under his unusually scary gaze.

"O-Okay."

**HT/KK**

"So, you're telling me that I died at that point... And then I got my powers back which made it undetectable to the truth that I died because Tessai-san cut off my chain of fate?" he asked slowly. Toushiro nodded. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Ichi-nii, you asked that same question like, 10 times already." she said.

They weren't in the house anymore, rather they were all on their way home. Yuzu was with them, and she too looked shocked. Jinta knew all about it, but of course he never told anyone.

Rukia was standing next to Ichigo.

"So that means i'm coming with you, right?" he asked. Rukia beamed, but she didn't know that she was.

Karin rolled her eyes again in exhasperation.

"Ye-s, Ichi-ni.. YES already!" she cried. Ichigo raised his arms in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I won't ask it again." he said happily. Rukia giggled and kissed Ichigo on the cheek.

Everyone gaped at them both.

"Okay, so tell me... Since when were you a couple?" asked Karin with a hey-you-haven't-told-me-anything-get-ready-to-feel-my-wrath-later look.

"Oh, about 4 hours ago." chirped Rukia.

Toushiro put an arm around Karin.

"Kuchiki, I told you not to be involved with the real world." he said warningly. Karin glared at him, Rukia blanched. Ichigo was turning red. Yuzu and Jinta didn't notice because they were busy staring at each other's eyes.

"Sorry, I--"

"But I guess rules and be bent once in a while." said Toushiro, squeezing Karin. Karin smiled up at him. Rukia sighed with relief.

"Thank you."

**A/N:** _**Dear Reader, what you have read in this chapter does not signify a fact in the main series. What you have read may or may not be what will happen in the future. **_

**HEY! Sorry I released this late. I was suppose to send it a few days ago but utter laziness got me again. -sigh- Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. You better review!**

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	47. Sereitei's White Light

**A/N: New chapter! Yippee. After a long vacation, I am back on track ppl! I can't believe a lot of people reviewed the last chapter. I was in tears. :D And guess what? I am now 15! My birthday was on Sept. 13, so it's almost a month since I updated. Yes yes, you may kill me later after the chapter. But for now, read and review! :)**

**Chapter 46: Sereitei's White Light **

Karin woke up and groaned heavily. For the first time ever, Isshin allowed her and Toushiro to bunk together. For some reason, he probably didn't care whatever happens to them. Maybe it was because he was too excited to go back to Sereitei to notice Karin and Toushiro sneak in their room. And of course, Rukia and Ichigo slept with each other that night too.

_If screams were expensive, they'd be bankrupt that night. Ichigo and Isshin were fighting again, as usual. It seems that Isshin went up to their rooms to find them empty. And when he opened the door for them, he was pretty much shocked to see them all standing, slightly looking like they just took a bath and smelling like fish._

_"HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL ME THAT YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE LEFT LAST NIGHT?!" he asked loudly. Karin and Yuzu rolled their eyes, same old conversation. Even Rukia and Toushiro seemed like they already got used to it._

_"YOU WOULDN'T HAVE UNDERSTOOD!" he cried out loud. Isshin looked at him with a glare, he was taken aback. Him? Not understanding? Whoa nelly._

_The screams continued, until Karin bonked them both on the head._

_"Shut up, Baka-nii." she told him and she gave her dad an evil glare that made him gulp. "Okay. So yeah, we all sneaked out last night? WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?! We HAD to talk to Urahara-san, anyway. And BTW dad, can't you notice that none of us are children anymore?" she asked angrily._

_Isshin sighed._

_"Fine, can you at least tell me why you went to Kisuke?" he asked exhasperatedly. Karin grimaced. Toushiro took her hand and squeezed it gently._

_"Sir, uh, dad..." he began. Karin cringed horribly at the word 'dad' and Ichigo was gaping at him stupidly as if he has never heard the word before._

_"You see... Ichigo is dead." said Karin, not bothering to beat around the bush. Isshin froze. Ichigo nodded. Karin felt like laughing as Isshin gurgled. _

_Then suddenly, he laughed like a maniac. Rukia tried to pry his hands off her, since he held on to her so that he won't loose balance. Toushiro plucked his fingers off her and made him to stand up._

_"Okay, Okay." said Isshin, tears of amusement in his eyes. Ichigo sighed._

_"Hard to believe, eh?" he asked angrily. Isshin smiled up at him._

_"It's not that... It's just that I can't believe that no one noticed it until now!" he cried happily. Ichigo and the other's jaws dropped, that they could sweep the ground with it._

_"Ya knew?!" asked Karin. Isshin grinned at her._

_"Father's intuition. But let's not talk about it... When are we leaving?" he asked, straightening up immediatley. Rukia eyed him._

_"What are you talking about? You can't come with us." said Karin, somewhat rudely. Isshin looked at her in a different way from what he did a few moments ago._

_"And why not, daughter dearest?" he asked. Yuzu and Karin looked at each other, the way sisters do when they have an understanding._

_"Yuzu can't come with us." said Karin dissmissively. Ichigo and Rukia blinked._

_"Wait, I can stay here alone! Honest." said Yuzu, embarrassed that Karin even suggested that their father stay because of her. Isshin look crestfallen, and for a minute there, it seems that he forgot about her._

_He looked torn, okay, so he has two choices... One, go with them and become captain but leave Yuzu alone... Two, stay there and take care of Yuzu, but not become vaptain and miss the chance of a lifetime!_

_Isshin look grudgingly out the window and surveyed the bird that seems to want to take permanent resident in their house. Karin smirked._

_"Dad, are you really thinking this out?" she asked annoyed. Isshin whippped around and gave her a huge fake-ish smile._

_"Of course not. Yuzu, im staying with you." he said slowly. Karin closed her eyes._

_"That's settled then, so..." but then she stopped as Yuzu seemed to have grabbed her hand all of a sudden._

_"You go with them, dad. I know that you want too... You know, I can't really come... Jinta isn't dead either..." said Yuzu with a faint smile. Isshin froze for a minute... They could almost hear the background music. _

_Isshin looked at Ichigo and Karin who glared at him, so without further ado, he tried his best (failing miserably, I might add) to pretend that he actually wants to stay. Yuzu of course insisted, and what seemed like something that would be a heated arguement, turned into agreement._

_Yuzu blinked away her tears and smiled as her dad squeezed her hand gently, then sniffed._

_"I'm going to call Jinta." she said quietly, and turned away. Isshin stared at her back for a couple of minutes then grinned at them all dissmisively._

**HT/KK**

"I should really check Yuzu, she looked so upset a while ago." said Karin after cuddling up closely to Toushiro. Toushiro looked at her head, and then nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. But I think she made the right choice. Yuzu isn't selfish, I can tell." said Toushiro slightly huskily, his eyes were dropping and the whiff of Karin's black hair was intoxicatingly good. He made a mental note to bring some of the human shampoo to Sereitei with them.

Karin pulled away from Toushiro and reached for the door when she heard Toushiro call her name slowly.

"Karin."

"Yeah?" she asked in response not looking at him.

"Don't try to convince her otherwise, because that would hurt her." he said. Karin pulled open the door and walked slowly to Yuzu's room.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

There was no answer, so Karin opened the door slowly. Yuzu was lying on her bed, her hair was sprawled on her face like an octopus, and Karin felt her mouth turn up in a small smile as she saw Yuzu clutching what looked like a picture of their family. Karin picked it off slowly from her grasp and looked at it.

Yuzu was standing in front, her smile gentle, and her hair still short. Karin was standing next to her and their matching kimono. Her face was frowning and her short black hair was covered with a hat. She realized all of a sudden how different they both were from each other. Ichigo was smiling like an idiot, which was really rare because he barely smiled on cam. Isshin was hugging the twins, and behind them was the portrait of Masaki, still looking impressively new.

The picture was taken ages ago after Isshin decided to frame the picture of Masaki and praise it like a godess.

She placed it back slowly on Yuzu's hand and watched as Yuzu grasped it tighter and she groaned. Karin looked at her tear strained face. It shocked her how Yuzu didn't cry a while ago, maybe that was because she wanted to be strong. Maybe she didn't want to be a burden to them, Maybe she realized that if she cried, they won't go.

Karin sighed.

**HT/KK**

The next day, Toushiro woke up with the sound of banging and scraping. He opened his eyes to find Karin clearing out her table, a pile of papers were already in the trash bin, and her table was half cleared.

He watched her for a minute, slightly bemused as she grumbled about a failing paper and a homework she should have passed. As she looked through her diary, Toushiro cleared his throat, and the diary dropped on the ground dramatically.

"EH!" she exclaimed. Toushiro sighed.

"Karin, it's so early... What are you doing?" he asked with a sigh. Karin tsked at him.

"You know, we are leaving later and I don't want to leave this room dirty." she said with a smile. Toushiro stood up and put his hands through his hair.

"Since you are leaving, why bother to clean?" he asked. Karin grimaced at him.

"You are really asking that?" she asked. Toushiro shurgged.

"Since Yuzu is staying here alone, she'd probably use this room for Jinta or something... I'm pretty sure they're getting married soon too. Dad did say last night that he would make sure that Yuzu be able to keep the house." said Karin. Toushiro muttered and okay, and then looked out the window.

The sky was clear blue, and it seemed a perfect time to go to a different dimension.

A few minutes later, they both went down, hand in a hand and caught the smell of something delicious. It was breakfast.

**HT/KK**

As they sat down, Yuzu was bustling in the kitchen. The table was already full, but she looked like she was planning a buffet of some sorts. Ichigo and Rukia were eating with one hand, and it was obvious that their hands were intertwined below the table. Toushiro seemed to have noticed too, but Isshin didn't.

His eyes were full of glee, but for some reason it was foggy as he watched Yuzu lay down a plate of pancakes in front of him. Karin sighed.

"Dad." she said. Isshin looked at her, then at Yuzu who plonked down next to him. Her eyes were red, but her cheeks were pink from tiredness.

Then without much of a warning, he burst into tears. Karin sighed angrily, but Yuzu looked like she was about to cry too. Toushiro gulped inwardly. Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other, and seemed like they didn't want to be there.

So, this was a typical family breakfast. Tears. Food. And more tears.

It couldn't get any better than this.

**HT/KK**

Let's cut the story short. Karin, Toushiro, Rukia, and Isshin said a tearful goodbye to Yuzu.

Even Ichigo cried. Toushiro of course, remained silent.

Now, they were looking at four hell butterflies that floated above them.

Yuzu was already the Urahara's.

Jinta looked like he was about to wet himself with excitement at the prospect of having Yuzu live with them.

Sereitei's white light flooded their eyesights as they walked slowly.

Isshin felt blinded, because he hasn't faced this sensation in 25 years.

Karin and Toushiro were a bit nervous. They haven't planned their wedding, but Karin was pretty sure that someone already did.

Ichigo and Rukia wer still walking hand-in-hand like normal 'new' couples do.

And watched as the gates slowly opened.

**HT/KK**

There was heated breathing behind Toushiro and Karin, and it was obvious that Isshin was hyperventilating again. He looked so happy to be back, but he seemed like he was in a verge of a seizure.

"Dad, calm down." said Karin, as she looked at his black robe. The last time she saw that garment was a long time ago.

"_DAD?" she said. Then she looked back. Her father was in shinigami robes and he looked menacing._

"_Karin, stay back." he said. Then he released his zanpakuto and slashed one of the arms of the huge Arrancar._

_Karin watched in awe as Hitsugaya sent a freezing blast to it. And then his part was over, he too fell to the ground. Karin ran faster than her legs would. Then she cradled Toushiro in her arms._

"_Karin."_

"_It's going to be alright." she said and she stripped off a piece of her shirt and wrapped it like a bandage around his bloody chest._

"T-The world... This world... Oh. My. God." said Isshin, sounding like some crazed teenager that just found out that he was adopted.

Karin sighed heavily, and took Toushiro's arm. He stared at her questionably.

"What?" he asked lowly. Karin pulled harder to the direction of the 11th squad.

"Toushiro, we have a wedding to plan. I'm very anxious to find out what Yumichika did." she said slowly. Toushiro pushed her arm away gently.

"Karin, we have to report to the sotaicho now. And i'm pretty sure he wants to find out how Ichigo came to be here... And why Isshin is still alive." said Toushiro to her ear. Karin let out a guffaw, that turned into a frown as fast as it came.

"But--"

"No buts... Let's go." said Toushiro firmly. Karin sniffed.

It was her first major mission, after all. And it was natural for her not to really know what they must do after getting back from the real world.

Isshin still looked around in awe as he put an arm around Toushiro and Karin. He still towered over them both.

"You see kids, the place hasn't changed even after 200 years." said Isshin happily. Karin pushed his arms back and looked at him in shock, making Rukia fall on top of Toushiro because she was too busy bustling with her clothes and Ichigo pulled her up.

"Damn it, Karin. Do you have to stop like that?" he asked angrily. Karin ignored him and turned to Isshin shocked.

"Dad, I thought you were only about 60 years old." said Karin her mouth hanging open. Toushiro actually let out a huge laugh.

"Karin, don't be stupid. I'm 80 years old... And that is still considered young for a taicho. Your dad is obviously about 200, like Kuchiki-taicho. Rukia is 100-something, im guessing." said Toushiro amusedly.

"That's right, Karin." said Isshin. Karin muttered something incoherent that sounded suspiciously like,

_"Damn it, my dad is ancient."_

**HT/KK**

"So, what you are saying Hitsugaya taicho... Is that Kurosaki taicho and Kurosaki-kun have decided to join you here? And Kurosaki-kun is dead?" asked a certain Ukitake taicho. He happened to pass by the 1st squad, and caught sight of everyone else.

Isshin sighed. This was the nth time he repeated those words. And it was also the nth time that Toushiro nodded vigirously.

Supposedlly, he was very much shocked to see Isshin and the words still ringed in his head as Ukitake exclaimed,

"Isshin! What are you doing here? I thought you were dead! Why--" and what followed was something everyone else expected.

Hack.

Cough.

Hack.

Blood.

Hack.

Cough.

Wipe.

Rukia of course, helped him calm down and explained everything to him.

So, this is what happens when you explain, is it?

**HT/KK**

Finally, when Ukitake left to get some rest, Toushiro pushed open the door of the first squad and wiped his sweat as everyone else bustled in slowly. The sotaicho was standing with his back against them staring out the window. They could see his wrinkled old face shine with anticipation.

"Hitsugaya taicho. Welcome back, I trust you have an explaination on why Kurosaki Ichigo and Kurosaki Isshin is standing behind you?" he asked tonelessly. Toushiro felt his face turn red.

"Ahh, you see--" he started. But Ichigo cut him short, somewhat rudely. Toushiro wanted to say badly that how dare he cut him short, that impotent little brat why won't he watch his place. But of course, he didn't.

As he explained everything, the sotaicho listened with his eyes closed, and with Isshin's explaination it was very clear that he liked what he was hearing.

"So, what say you Hitsugaya taicho? Do you think that Isshin should reclaim his position as former 3rd squad captain?" asked Yama-jin looking intently at Toushiro who nodded slowly and seriously.

"How about me? I think we should put it in--" said Ichigo impatiently. Yama-jin raised a hand in silence and his mouth turned up a bit, and everyone could have sworn that he smiled a teenie bit.

"You are now 5th squad captain, as what we agreed in Kurosaki Ichigo." said Yama-jin. Ichigo whooped shamelessly. But that wasn't all... Isshin joined in the happy dance that made Karin want to punch them both dead on the face.

"Shut up, you two." muttered Karin. The two ignored her.

"I trust you want to stay in your quarters, Kurosaki taicho?" asked Yama-jin.

Ichigo and Isshin stopped.

"Of course!" they both exclaimed at the same time. Ichigo and Isshin glared at each other.

"He was talking to me." said Ichigo, annoyed. Isshin scoffed.

"No, boy. He was talking to me." said Isshin.

Karin sighed and finally bonked them both in the head. Yama-jin didn't seem to notice except for the sly grin at the corner of his mouth. Looks like it's going to be a riot with two Kurosaki captains in the roster.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro inched closer to Karin as they walked closer to the 11th squad. He was nervous, alright. Judging from the fact that Karin chose Yumichika as their uhh, Wedding planner was getting on his nerves. He knew full well that this was NOT what he was going to be expecting. Karin squeezed his hand.

"Toushiro, why are you so nervous? It's not like he's going to do anything drastic." said Karin with a nervous giggle, as if she knew full well that what she was saying was a lie.

Toushiro looked at her slightly annoyed.

"Why did you choose him, anyway?" he asked. Karin sighed.

"I'm pretty sure that he isn't going to... No." she stopped short. Yumichika was running towards them, excited and full of happiness.

Toushiro sighed as Yumichika jumped up and down like an idiot.

"Ayasegawa, please tell me that what you are going to say doesn't envolve purple frills and flowers dangling on the ceiling." said Toushiro greatly freaked as Yumichika blushed for a bit, lost his balance and regained composture.

"Ahhh... Hitsuagaya taicho. What are you talking about! Of course not... Not, of course." he repeated making Karin giggle uncertainly.

"Uh, well. We have been gone for a week, Yumichika-san... Have you planned my kimono?" asked Karin, blushing slightly as Toushiro looked at her in a 'what-you-care-about-your-kimono-really?' look. So she added, "Yes, Toushiro... I care about my wedding kimono."

Yumichika nodded excitedly again, and took out of his pocket an ancient notebook and ripped off half of the notebook with one hand. Toushiro watched as he pocketed it with a sigh and caught a glimpse of a flimsy drawing of a room that looked like it was decorated for a retiring lady.

Then he flipped over to the back where a wonderfully scketched kimono was drawn. Karin stared at it for a moment and smiled at Toushiro.

"See? He worked out after all." said Karin happily. Yumichika huffed.

"You didn't trust me?" he asked, offended. Then he muttered, "That is so un-beautiful of you."

"What was that?" asked Toushiro in an amused tone. Yumichika smiled a fake smile.

"AHH. Nothing Hitsugaya taicho. Nothing." he said.

Karin couldn't help but rejoice. Tommorow, she will definitley put the day off for their wedding. She just had to find a way to get Toushiro to join her.

**A/N: Yay! As you can see, im back from my looooong vacay. Sorry. Im sure none of you knew that I was taking a leave, espcially those who post comments offline. Gomen, again. Hmm... Okay, read the following announcements, will you?**

**So, please support HITSUKARIN source and it's grand opening December. We need writers. To visit the site, go to: /hitsukarinsource for more details on how you can send your hitsukarin stories and it will be published by December.**

**I am now following a strict guideline that I will post at least 3000 words a week for you. It's for the main reason so that I can cut down on the chapter count and get this story over with.**

**THANK YOU! **

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_This review count has been made for the guideline that I may update earlier. _

**CURRENT REVIEWS: 169**

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	48. Untitled Chapter

**A/N: eeeeeeeeeekk! Don't kill me. NEW CHAPTER! :D Okay, about the new chapter... As you can see, I split most of the parts to Toushiro, Karin, Ichigo and Isshin. At least at the start when they embark on a series of uhh... Weirdness and wtf fits best here. AND! The next chapter will be the wedding. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I already started writing it, and since it's my sem break, i'll have plenty of time to post it ASAP. Keep reviewing, ppl!**

**Chapter 47: Untitled Chapter :D**

The bedcovers of their room nuzzled Toushiro slightly.

It felt tingly, and for some reason... It was wet? Toushiro felt the slippery concotion and realized it was the saliva from Karin's mouth. He laughed silently. So, she was having a good dream. The vicer like hands wrapped around his body were tighter than before, and he thanked the gods that she wasn't drooling all over his shirt.

Yesterday, they got back from the real world, and he wasn't able to spend time with her the rest of the day after the talked to Ayasegawa. He could tell that she was disappointed, since when he got back from the office she wasn't waiting for him. She was asleep, and he knew full well that she did it pointedly as if to say,

"You ignored me the whole day... I don't care. Got that?"

He sniffed as Karin inched closer to him, as if knowing that yes, he has to leave early for work. And no, she isn't allowed to interrupt him.

Toushiro sighed and slowly plucked off her fingers from his chest and moved away. Karin didn't seem to notice, but she moved a little. Toushiro could see her flat stomach peaking from her silk shinigami pajamas (it was provided for the Gotei 13 shinigami, and Karin loves it. Toushiro doesn't wear it. He settles for the good 'ol white shirt and shorts).

He looked over at her for a second, and smiled. She looked serene as ever, and he wiped off her saliva from the side of her lips and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

Then he turned and took out his clothes from his cabinet as he dressed in lightning fast speed. At least if he gets to work early, he can come home early too. Maybe this time he can see her at night, eyes open and cuddling closely in bed.

**HT/KK**

"The cow jumped over the moon." she muttered as her eyes shot open. Karin looked around.

The sun was blazing heavily on their window sill, and she patted the side off her bed without a second thought. So, Toushiro was gone again. She sighed heavily.

It was her dream that maybe one day, Toushiro would wake up later than her and she'd dispose a kiss on his mouth as if to wake him up. But to her heafty disappointment, Toushiro was an early bird. It came with the taicho package, obviously.

Last night, she was extremely annoyed as she went inside the room to find it empty. Toushiro locked the door of the 10th squad, and even her cat calls didn't bring him to open it for her... When it finally did open, Toushiro was glaring at her and he growled a little impatiently,

"Karin, don't you have something to do in the 11th squad? I think you do."

Karin of course has a few (make it a lot) of work to do... But can't he see that she was willing to drop it all for him? She blinked at him innocently. Then muttered,

"Fine, then. See you." she said a little coldly, and she walked away, her long black hair swishing.

Well today, she will NOT have any off that. She finished her work for the whole week, and no matter what he was going to say, she was going to drag him, her dad, and her brother to meet Masaki. Period. Oh, and they have to get some things straight with Yumichika, for God's sakes.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo punched his pillow and proped his head on his elbow. It was morning, and obviously, he had a job to do.

Since the real world, he has gotten pretty used to wake up early since his job indicates it. The resident usually placed him on morning shifts, anyway. But today, he could tell it wasn't the reason why he woke up like this. He was nervous, AND the pillow was so effin' hard. Do taicho sleep like this?!

The room was really great and all. But it is just too... Stiff for his liking. The room was huge, and WTF it has a washroom fit for a king! So that's how they treat em taicho, eh? So that's why some of them are spoiled to death.

He sighed.

Yesterday was fantastic, and he spent the whole day being toured the 5th squad. Annoyingly, he was placed there after Aizen. Aizen. Aizen. Yes, it echoes in his brain. Goddamn it, Aizen slept here. And yes, he plotted death and dispair to every living creature in the universe. He sighed yet again. Not that he hated the squad he entered, but he just had so much damage repair to fix (less than he dad, for cripes sake!) that he just wanted to be back home and work on a new surgery.

Speaking of home, it was obvious that he rushed into this decision to fast. There were so many things that he left back at the real world, that it was like a fairly annoying pimple. It had to be popped, sooner or later. Let me point them all out... Hmm:

1. Tatsuki. Need I say more? She was pretty good at sensing reiatsu, and he knew she knew that he left the real world. Her, knowing full-well that there are shinigami. It was getting complicated. He was sure that Rukia was bearing a burden, knowing that he left someone behind without her having a say in it.

2. Uryuu and Orhime. Weird, he actually cared about these people. The fact that he won't see their baby and be the uncle kinda makes him squirm uncomfortably. Who else will they trust such a valuable job to? Sado? Heck no. He scares the hell out of children. Jinta? Heck no! Times two! Do you want he/she to grow up with such a perv? Not that he holds a grudge on Yuzu's possible husband.

3. Ichigo hasn't finished his internship. What a waste of those years. God, he should have just went after Rukia years ago.

Again, he sighed for the third time as he spotted the captain's cloak with the number five on the back. Now if only he could give all the work to his fukutaicho, Hinamori.

**HT/KK**

Isshin strode over to the 3rd squad dojo without a word.

A slight nod at the early rising fellows and a clearly annoying glint in his eye, even a dense person would realize that he was extremely glad to be back and with much power to be exact. For more that 20 years, he had to suffer and become a regular person. And Isshin was NOT a regular person, got that?

"Kurosaki taicho." greeted a geeky, pale blond guy with woeful eyes. Isshin's first reaction was that the boy certainly needs a massage. Then he remembered that there won't be any massages here.

"Hi." said Isshin, hoping against hope that he sounded cool... But then he realized that 'hi' was so not cool. He added, "What can I do for you, young man?" Again, so not cool.

"I am Kira Izuru, you fukutaicho." he said, clearly bewildered at being called a 'young man'. Isshin brightened up and patted his cloak happily.

"Ahh! I'm glad to meet you, Izuru-kun." said Isshin gladly. Then he took out his hand. Kira looked at it, not sure of what he wants to do. Oh duh, a handshake. He shook it slowly, and Isshin smiled at him.

"I heard you were the captain before _he _left." said Kira sadly. Isshin raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? He? Who's he?" asked Isshin stupidly. Kira looked like he was about to burst crying.

"Ichimaru taicho." he said, his voice shaking. Isshin ahh-ed, and watched as Kira excused himself. Isshin stood there for a few moments, then burst out laughing.

"Now I know why he looks like he needs a massage."

**HT/KK**

"Good morning." greeted Karin to Matsumoto's behind. She jumped and looked around to find Karin beside her grinning stupidly. Matsumoto's eyes widened.

"Ahhh! Good morning, bride-san!" she cried and she hugged her so tight, Karin couldn't breathe. "I missed you."

Karin grinned, despite losing her breath.

"I missed you too, Rangiku-san." said Karin softly. Matsumoto grinned at her.

"I just saw taicho walk in an hour ago. Hey, Karin-chaaaan... Do you plan on sneaking up to him again?" asked Matsumoto sneakily. Karin sighed.

"Not this time. Now, it's time to grab him and dump those papers elsewhere." said Karin. Matsumoto blushed. Elsewhere, meaning her. Matsumoto looked at her pleadingly.

"Aww, come on... You can't put all those work on me! I need my beauty rest." said Matsumoto lamely. Karin raised an eyebrow amusedly.

"You just woke up." she pointed out. Matsumoto feined shock.

"You don't need to rub in that I haven't slept properly!" she said loudly. Karin rolled her eyes and smacked her lips.

"Well, we have to plan the wedding today. And a little bit of family bonding won't hurt today. It's a weekend." said Karin with a satisfied grin. Matsumoto sighed.

"Alright. As long as you will bring me back some news about the wedding. AND I have to be bridesmaid." said Matsumoto. Karin clicked her tounge.

"Fine. I would like you to be my bridesmaid, Rangiku." said Karin exhasperatedly. Matsumoto pouted.

"Rangiku only?"

"We have to start somewhere, right? RANGIKU?"

"Right, Karin!"

They both started laughing.

**HT/KK**

Laughter. Naturally, when laughter sounded off outside his office, it would mean one thing. Matsumoto just got gossip. But this time, it wasn't Yumuchika's laugh that he heard. It was Karin's.

Toushiro arrived about an hour ago, and the first thing he saw was the remaining pile of paperwork from last week, and a heinous purple folder with golden letters saying: Wedding Plan. Obviously, this was something that he should hand to Karin.

He sneaked a peak at it, and his first thoughts were: No. No. No. No.

No way was he going to have a wedding with pink sakura petals flouncing in the air. It was too Byakuya. And no, he didn't want a grand honeymoon in 1st district Rukongai that had a 5 star hotel.

How the HELL did he find a hotel in Rukongai, anyway? All he wanted was a simple honeymoon in the room, where he and Karin could do their thing without any interruptions.

He stood up and opened the door a little bot forcefully. There they were Karin and Matsumoto laughing in front of the room. They didn't seem to notice that he was there, until he cleared his throat.

"Toushiro!" cried Karin, she was blushing. How cute. Toushiro looked at her, then to Matsumoto.

"Why, in the world, are you laughing in front of my door, when you know clearly that I have some papers to finish?" he growled. Karin glared at him.

"What are you talking about? I just wanted to see you." she said. Matsumoto tried not to giggle. 'See you' which if was translated would mean, drag him out of his office so he could see mummy.

"Doesn't seem like it." said Toushiro, watching as Matsumoto turned pink. Karin sighed.

"Fine. I want you to come out of that murky old office, and hang out with me, dad and Ichi-nii." said Karin. Toushiro sighed.

"You know I can't do that." said Toushiro. Karin pouted dejectedly, something that was not anywhere near her.

"Taicho, I can uhh... Finish the work for you." offered Matsumoto, whose eye twitched.

"Really? You?" asked Toushiro suspiciously. Karin gritted her teeth.

"Toushiro, can't you see your lovely fukutaicho wants to do something for you? Why are you rejecting such a chance?" asked Karin. Toushiro continued narrowing his eyes at her.

"But--"

"NO BUTS! Now get you ass off those work, and go out with me!" cried Karin, looking a little scary.

Toushiro dare not say no. Really.

**HT/KK**

Finally, after persuation, perspiration and a little nudging, she finally got them all to meet her in the senkai gate. Isshin looked especially excited, like he was about to wet himself.

"Karin, are we going on a road trip? Are we handling your wedding plan? I happen to be an expert at that, i'm telling you." said Isshin. Karin ignored him as Toushiro sighed.

"I have some work to do, do I really have to come? I'm sure you can handle the plans yourself." said Toushiro, a little beseechingly. He didn't take to well at leaving Matsumoto with a pile of paperwork. What if she slept the whole day and didn't do anything like last time? What if the whole place went on fire? Or worse... WHAT IF THE PAPERWORK WAS ON FIRE?!

Ichigo watched Toushiro breathe in and out noisily.

"Toushiro, are you going to have a heart attack?" he asked amusedly.

"Shut up." said Toushiro. Karin giggled for a while, and looked around. It was about time the gates opened. And to her shock, as if she didn't notice, the boys surrounding her where shockingly white. At least, their robes were.

Ichigo, Isshin and Toushiro. All captains. Can soul socitey really survive under Kurosaki waves? She grinned to herself.

Most likely, the son (or daughter) of Ichigo will be a captain, and so will Karin and Toushiro's, there was no doubt about it. But really, has the whole world gone insane and gave positions to Baka-nii and Baka-tousan!?

Suddenly, Karin called out to the gate guardian, and it opened in a flash. Naturally, there would be no gate right now, since they come from the inside... But since the on and on ryoka incident, they just kept it like that... And any sound coming from the inside lets the gate open.

A familiar scene shone in her eyes. They weren't in the west, so that meant she won't be seeing Kenta, or Shibata. Her main concern for this trip was a certain blonde woman. And she was sure that Isshin and Ichigo didn't have a single clue.

She just wished Yuzu were there too.

**HT/KK**

Karin led the way, and Isshin was screaming out to the sky, he was pretty sure nobody could hear him except for the watching people wondering who the heck is this new captain, and WHY he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Karin lost it and punched her dad as hard as she could. Toushiro crossed his arms.

"This is stupid. What am I doing here when I should be--"

"Shut. Up." growled Karin slowly, making Toushiro blush. Okay, Okay... You don't have to be testy about it.

Finally, they arrived in front of the cute little hut. Ichigo looked confused.

"What are we doing in front of such a crappy looking house?" asked Ichigo. Karin glared and smiled forcefully.

"I want you all to meet a close friend of mine. And i'm pretty sure you'd want to see her too." said Karin. Toushiro sighed, he knew full well what her plan was, and he was just plain shocked that it was actually working.

"Well, shes probably one of those pretty girls since her house looks like this." said Isshin pointing at the house. Then he added, "Karin-chan, you are finally putting me in your social life! I am so glaaaad!"

Karin sighed.

"Dad, i'm sure you'd love her... But please keep they annoying dad thing away for a while, okay? I'll just get her." said Karin. Ichigo looked confused.

"Aren't we coming inside?" asked Ichigo. Karin smiled.

"Yeah, but I want her to know you guys are here." she said, before disappearing in the house.

Ichigo sighed.

"What's the big deal?" he asked.

Isshin looked dazed.

"I think I know what the big deal is." he said, with wide eyes. For a moment, Toushiro thought he found out about Masaki... Until,

"SHE IS GOING TO INTRODUCE ME TO HER BOYFRIEND!" he burst. Ichigo rolled his eyes. Toushiro cleared his throat.

"Uh.. Sir... Dad..." he gritted his teeth, "I happen to be her boyfriend."

Isshin looked downfallen, and then he hugged Toushiro with a man hug.

"Gome gomen! I forgot for a second." he said.

Ichigo sweatdropped.

"Hey guys, you can come in now!" called Karin from the inside. She sounded excited.

So they opened the door and looked around.

**HT/KK**

The house looks just like the outside, it was the same comfortable looking interior, and lot's of things looked familiar to their eyes. Until Isshin saw something that made his heart skip a beat. It was their wedding ring... His and Masaki's... How could this girl get it?

He picked it up with a finger, and slipped it in his pinky. This was definitley hers. But... How?

For the first time, since he got here... A tear slipped down his nose. He missed her, alright. Suddenly, a soft hand gripped her... And he thought he was going to be punched by Karin for being too sentimental in front of a friend, but it wasn't a punch. It was a hug... A glance at the curly blond hair, and the smell of her skin.

This was Masaki... His wife.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo watched the whole scene as if he couldn't believe it. It was so quiet, until she walked in. Masaki gave Ichigo a small kiss on the cheek, and then she spotted Isshin and gave him a hug. It was an unbelievably sweet scene that you could only get from a couple that has been separated for years.

There was silence in the room as Karin felt her hand in Toushiro's... Will they be like that after they marry? Will they still be the same sweet couple that they are now? They were about to get married soon, and she was pretty sure she had no doubts... All she wished was that they'd be together for their whole life...

Toushiro smiled at Karin. She was absoultely beautiful. Inside and out. The fact that she got them back to together, he knew that this meant a lot to her... And he meant a lot to her too...

Ichigo seemed lost for words, until he uttered the first words since they got inside.

"Hi, mom." he said. Masaki released herself from Isshin who was now tearing up like a baby.

"Hi, Ichigo... I missed you." she said. Her baby blue eyes were yielded with tears, that Ichigo was in the verg of tears too. Karin bit her lip.

"Mom... I--" he struggled for words to say. Masaki put a hand on his face and smiled.

"I'm so proud of you, Ichigo." she said. Ichigo finally started crying, and so did Karin. Isshin burst into happy tears and cried,

"Group hug!"

That was so him, wasn't it?

Toushiro pulled back, and watched the scene with a small smile. Looks like things are finally working out for the Kurosaki.

"Where is Yuzu?" asked Masaki, expecting another small arm in their hug.

"Oh mom..." muttered Karin.

Looks like introducing Toushiro had to wait.

**A/N: HII! didja like it? I know, it looks like one of those stupid cliffies. But it's not. The Masaki thing ends there... I'm just not good at reuniting familes, you know? Anyway, please sit patiently and wait for my new chapter! Titled, "You don't need a ring for a forever". Yup, it sounds all cheesy and sh-t. ahaha. But the wedding is soo... I dunno. Just wait for it! :D Review while you can!**

**Review count:**

**Current reviews: 181 (well, 180... I reviewed once)**

**Needed reviews: 190**

* * *


	49. You Don't Need a Ring for a Forever

**A/N: Here comes the bride… All dressed in white! Yay! We finally arrived to the much awaited wedding! I know most of you have been awaiting this for a long time, and yes, this chapter is a special chapter with not the usual 3,000 words! But 10,000! Clap your hands everyone, and read, enjoy and review!**

**ANYWAY, I decided to make this the last chapter before the epilogue. I know that I made some sort of pact to write the second gen. But you probably understand that ive been busy as hell lately, and with another hitsukarin story published. xD **

**I'm so late... It's been a century, and you guys haven't let me forget it... lol. (**_**OMGHITSUKARIN**_**, especially YOU!)**

_**I dedicate this chapter to RazerRD, my very best online dude buddy who read it and gave it a 100/100. Also to my anon readers who spammed my review box. I appreciate it, naturally.**__**XOXO to my faithful reviewers who have been reviewing and reading since last year when my story was still called "before I leave, can I ask you a favor?". You guys rule! Love love. **_

**Chapter 48: You Don't Need a Ring for a Forever**

The engagement ring sat on a silver platter. It shined like an emerald stone, is as tough and hard as a diamond rock, and most of all… It's a symbol of forever and togetherness.

Karin stared at it for a few more seconds. Tomorrow was the wedding, and she asked everyone to leave her alone. Of course, everyone else said they would. Toushiro, however, seemed not to be as nervous as her… As soon as he woke up, he disposed a very sentimental kiss on her, and left without another word.

Of course, who was she to force him to cuddle with her? Maybe he had more paperwork than usual?

A few months ago, 6 months to be exact, they decided that the wedding would be in half a year. Karin was delighted. Actually, it was Ichigo's suggestion, as he heard them, yet again, fighting over the day of their wedding.

6 months, half a year… Indeed it was perfect. It wasn't far away, yet it wasn't too early.

_Yumichika spent most of his time at the 10th squad, much to Toushiro's annoyance. Karin, however, was stern whenever he scoffed at his entry._

"_Karin-chan, are you sure you don't want a purple kimono?" he asked, for the nth time. Karin sighed._

"_Yes, yes, I don't want a purple kimono. I want a white one, okay?" she said. Matsumoto would always giggle in the background._

_She wanted a white kimono, for it was simple, clean and nice… Just the way she wanted it. Plus, she was sure Toushiro wouldn't mind having her wear a kimono that matched his white hair._

"_Karin-chan, I just got your list of guests. Most of them had rsvp back." he said. Karin nodded. _

_It was a good thing that Rukia wasn't there. Though she was the maid of honor (Matsumoto kept on telling her to make her a bridesmaid), she didn't want her to get near the guest list. Yes, it was a scandal the last time she got a hold on that precious list._

"_Karin-chan… I don't think you ordered enough sake." said Yumichika, a little anguished._

"_Ayasegawa-san… How many times do I have to tell you? Our wedding is not a bar. It's a spiritual ceremony of love and binding!" shouted Karin exasperatedly. Yumichika frowned._

"_Ahhh, that's true. But how about my needs? I need… I need…" he said, gasping for air. _

_Matsumoto tapped him on the back supportively._

"_Karin… You really need to have sake." she said seriously, but her smile gave her away. Karin sweat dropped defeated._

"_Fine." _

"_Yay! Yay! Yay!" they both cried put rejoicing and doing the happy dance._

"_Shut up!" boomed Toushiro, who looked like he was about to burst._

The initiator that they got was Yama-jin, who seemed most pleased that he was chosen, though he didn't show it.

"_Hey, Toushiro… Can you help me?" asked Karin, as she sat on the chair in front of his desk. Toushiro looked up from the paper he was reading._

"_For what?" he asked very gently. Karin grinned and said slowly,_

"_Well, we need an initiator for our wedding, and I need you to talk to Yamamato sotaicho about It." said Karin. _

_Toushiro raised an eyebrow as he placed the paper neatly in front of him._

"_Why him? We could get someone else." he said. Karin sighed._

"_I don't want outsiders on our wedding."_

_And to that, he agreed._

There was also the matter of the family thing. Masaki was definitely pleased to be back in Sereitei, and it was a little weird for them to see Isshin turn into a blushing teenager.

"_Well, I-I uh… I thinkyoushouldstaywithmeforawhile." he said very fast. Ichigo slapped his head, while Karin sighed._

"_Isshin, are you alright?" asked Masaki with a giggle, as she placed a hand on his head. (Isshin blushed like a tomato)_

"_I mean… I think you should stay with me for a while." he said slowly. That's right, you can do it._

"_A while? You mean I have to go back?" asked Masaki, looking slightly displeased. Isshin gulped._

"_I mean… Uh… I mean…" he spluttered, while he loosened his imaginary tie._

"_He means he wants you to live with him again in the 3rd squad." said Karin. _

"_Y-Yeah, that." he said with a wavering grin. Masaki smiled at him._

"_Okay. Why are you so nervous, Isshin?" she asked with a smile. Isshin gulped._

"_I'm not nervous." he said indignantly. Masaki grinned and put an arm around Isshin._

"_Come on, let's go." she whispered in his ear. Isshin turned redder (if it was ever possible)._

Rukia however was not allowed to stay with Ichigo. (Duh) Ichigo had to fight his urge to battle it out with Byakuya.

"_I understand that you two are sharing a little relationship, Rukia." he said, ignoring Ichigo's glare. Byakuya was being as serious as ever, and Rukia sensed that Ichigo was about to burst... NOT a good thing._

_"Listen here, Byakuya--" started Ichigo, But Rukia glared at him ferociously as if saying, 'Leave this to me, you idiot.'_

_"Nii-sama, I know you are worried about my safety, but I promise nothing bad will happen to me with Ichigo around." said Rukia, saying 'bad' with a wink at Ichigo. Byakuya caught it though._

_"I assume that you are saying that you are rooming with Kurosaki?" he asked rudely, as he stared at Ichigo from up to down. Rukia blushed._

_"Well, I--" _

_"No. You will stay here in the mansion until due time." he said firmly, and he strode away, his million yen scarf swishing in the non-exsistent wind. Ichigo breathed heavily._

_"Sorry, Ichigo. I guess we will only see each other at work or something." said Rukia sadly. Ichigo smiled gently._

_"Not if I can help it." he said. Rukia's eyes widened._

_"What?" she asked loudly. Ichigo put a quick kiss on her lips and jogged away, ignoring Rukia screaming at him._

Of course, it seemed like smooth sailing all the way, but Karin and Toushiro have fought alot. It HAS been 6 months. Excitement crawled on her body as she stepped off the bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Her long hair seemed shinier than usual, and her skin was glowing. It's been a long time since she felt this happy as she wondered what will happen tomorrow.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro ruffled his already long white hair as he sat on his office armchair. He looked out the window, the sun was rising. He left early from their room. Karin was still sleeping, and he hoped he didn't wake her. He knew that tomorrow, his life will change forever. And it wasn't easy to say that he accepted it to the fullest.

He loved Karin. In fact, he would be willing to give his life for her forever. But tomorrow, he was going to submit himself to holy matrimony.

He closed his eyes, letting the breeze and the faint smell of leaves linger in his nose. Karin would be awake in a few minutes. He hoped she won't disturb him.

Like on cue, the door opened slowly. But it wasn't Karin.

It was Hinamori.

Toushiro straightened up as he watched her brown eyes slowly look up from her hands as she walked in.

"Hinamori?" he asked in surprise. Hinamori gave him a small smile.

"Tomorrow is your wedding." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Yes. You have the invitation, I assume?" he asked curtly. He didn't mean to sound rude, but was she here to tease him about it?

She nodded, not noticing the formal tone he used.

"Hitsugaya-kun." she muttered. Toushiro watched her come nearer, her eyes training on her hands that were shaking.

"What is it, Hinamori?" he asked. She looked up again, her eyes tearing up.

"I'm here to congratulate you." she said. Toushiro's eyebrows contracted.

"You already did." he said. She ignored him.

"Do you remember the promise we gave each other when we were still children?" she asked. He stared.

He remembered it.

_He bounded from his chair after he chopped the latest of their watermelon and served one for Hinamori. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor and she was writing on a piece of paper._

_Toushiro looked at what she was writing._

"_What are you right, bed wetter Momo?" he asked. His voice croaked, like when a child reaches his teens. His small body was as of a child's, but he was already over 50 years old in Soul Society years. _

_Hinamori grinned at him._

"_I'm writing a contract for both of as, Shiro-chan." she said, sticking her tongue out. Toushiro scoffed at the nickname. _

"_I don't care." he said, rolling his green-blue eyes._

"_Don't be stupid. You have to sign It." she said, pouting her bottom lip and sliding the paper to his side of the table. _

_He watched it and put the watermelon on the table._

"_Fine. But this better be good." he grumbled. Hinamori giggled and nodded. He took it with both his hands and read it. _

_**Hitsugaya Toushiro promises to make Hinamori Momo, his best friend and sister, his future bride if ever he does not have a wife to propose to. Hinamori Momo promises to make Hitsugaya Toushiro, her best friend and brother, to be her future husband, if ever he does not have a wife to propose to. But first they both a have to attend the academy and be full-grown. **_

_He slammed it on the table and sniffed loudly._

"_That's stupid. I'm not marrying you, baka." said Toushiro angrily. Hinamori giggled._

"_I'm not stupid. But I'm just saying, we can't be single forever." she said, amused. Toushiro raised a pale eyebrow._

"_Toushiro, you are like a brother to me. But it would probably be amazing if we get married. It's not like we would have to be in love." She added. Toushiro sighed._

"_Fine. But only for a favor." he said, and grabbed the pen and signed bellow. Hinamori tucked it in a homemade folder. _

"_Oh, look. Watermelons!" she cried, as if she just noticed it now and grabbed one, grinning at Toushiro's frowning face._

Ever since that, he's been protective of Hinamori with guys. He knew there were a lot of idiots out there, but he never really saw her that way. When Hinamori fell in love with Aizen, he was a little taken aback, but he was happy that she was happy. When he tried to kill her, and when he manipulated her, he hated him with all his guts.

Hinamori was his best friend. She was his sister.

And he has been neglecting her… And so, he was a jerk.

"Yeah, I do." He said. Hinamori finally grinned.

"I'm happy you are getting married, Hitsugaya-kun. I guess that contract is null and void, huh?" she asked. Toushiro grinned back.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I've been a jerk." he said. Hinamori rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. That's all right." she said, with a trace of sadness in her eyes. Toushiro rose from his seat and gave her a tight hug. She sobbed on his shirt.

"I'm going to miss you, Hinamori." he muttered gently. Hinamori shook as she laughed.

"Me too." she said. Toushiro let her go, but kept his hands on her arms.

"You'll always be my sister." he promised. Hinamori stuck her tongue out half-heartedly. Her teary eyes crinkling.

"You'll always be my 'supposed' husband." she grinned. Toushiro grinned. "I have to confess…"

"What?" he asked. Hinamori looked away for a second.

"Well, I've been jealous of Karin-chan for months now." she muttered.

"Baka." teased Toushiro. Hinamori giggled.

"I'm sorry. I really was jealous not 'cause she's marrying you. But because she's getting married. While I, older than you, am not." she said. Toushiro let go of her.

"You'll find someone. I know you will." he said slowly. Hinamori nodded.

"I know." she said. Then she looked at the door. "I have to get going my Kurosaki taicho will be awake in a few minutes."

"Ichigo?" he asked, laughing. There were two Kurosaki captains now.

"Yes. He's _still _not used to his work load." she said, a little disappointed. Toushiro flicked her with one finger and pushed her out the door.

"Then you better get going then." he said, pushing her out more. Hinamori huffed as she was already outside the office door.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." she said a little angrily. Toushiro laughed.

"Go and please your taicho." He said loudly as he watched her turn and stomp to her squad. He laughed and closed the door while shaking his head.

**HT/KK**

Ichigo walked over to the Kuchiki mansion a little hesitantly. He was late for work, and he knew it. Hinamori won't be pleased. Oh wait, he was a captain now. He had every right to be late for emergencies. And walking Rukia to the 13th squad was definitely one. She might get ambushed on the way to work.

The Kuchiki mansion was placed a little far off from the 13th squad, and he wondered why Byakuya won't move nearer. So what if it's right next to the 6th squad? Rukia was a girl. A fragile, sweet, little girl, while he was really old and not handsome at all.

He knew Rukia would kill him if she found out that he was thinking she was fragile. She'd murder him for saying she was sweet. And she would massacre him with a jack hammer and spiky stiletto heels if he said that she was a little girl.

"Oh crap, Byakuya." he gulped as he saw him standing with a servant at the Mansion gate. His servant was carrying a pile of work paper and he was looking up at the sky. He was probably checking the weather out.

Ichigo slid to the side of a tree and watched him stare more at the sky. The servant was shaking at the weight of the papers he was carrying. Byakuya didn't seem to notice.

_This is perfect. I can talk to him alone. _

He grinned at himself and was about to jump out and hoped to surprise Byakuya when Rukia walked out the gate in her shinigami uniform. Byakuya gave her a small smile, but it looked like a grimace. Rukia looked worried.

Ichigo strained to hear their conversation.

"Nii-sama, you don't have to walk me to the 13th squad. I have done it for years. I—" she complained. Byakuya raised a finger. Rukia eyed the servant worriedly. His knees were shaking, and his forehead was sweaty.

"I don't want to have to be responsible about your medical fees if ever someone decides to hurt you here, Rukia." He said, his deep voice echoing in Ichigo's ears.

"What?" mouthed Ichigo to himself. Did he just call him someone who would hurt her? Was he stupid like that?

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm sure_ Ichigo_ would take good care of Me." she said coldly. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"I was not talking about Kurosaki Ichigo. Just merely your safety." he said in the same cold tone as Rukia's.

"You didn't worry about my safety last week. Last week when Ichigo and I weren't an item." she stated. Byakuya looked angry. His face was paler. Rukia didn't waver.

"If you want to get hurt so badly—"he started. It was Rukia's turn to cut him off rudely.

"I love Ichigo. You should know by now that he loves me too. He won't hurt me." she said defensively.

The servant stopped shaking and seemed to be mesmerized by Rukia's bravery. Nobody talked to Kuchiki taicho like that.

"Did you hear that, Kurosaki?" asked Byakuya suddenly. Rukia jumped. She didn't notice him there. Was he that good at concealing reiatsu now? She thought.

Oh right, he's a captain now. Typically, Byakuya can sense him if he concentrates as much.

Ichigo walked slowly out of the tree and grinned at Rukia.

"Hey, good morning, Byakuya, Rukia." he said. He didn't bother to be nice, as Byakuya was not anywhere near worthy.

"Ichigo?! What the hell are you doing here?" she asked her face pink. Ichigo gave her a wink, and Rukia looked like she wanted to kill him.

"I'm going to walk you to the 13th squad, but it looks like Byakuya beat me there." he said. Byakuya glared at him.

"Kurosaki." He finally greeted after a long second.

"Ichigo, please leave." begged Rukia. She looked worried that Byakuya and Ichigo would start fighting.

Ichigo looked amused.

"No. I'm not leaving. Byakuya thinks I'm going to hurt you, and I'm here to prove to him that I'm not." He told her, but he was looking straight at Byakuya.

"Oh?" he asked, his deep voice sounding harder.

"Oh?" mocked Ichigo. "Yeah, I am. Well, first, I want to ask you, why did you let Rukia go to the real world in the first place if you think I'm just there to hurt her?"

Byakuya looked taken aback by that for a fleeting second, but his angry glare came back as soon as it left.

Rukia looked at Byakuya too.

"Nii-sama?"

"Yeah, I thought so too. I knew it. You thought I was going to hurt her there and she'd come back running and crying here at Soul Society, right? You thought I'd get rid of her feelings for me. You thought that I'd reject her and she won't want me anymore." he accused, his voice quiet, but high-pitched.

Byakuya's eyes softened.

"Yes. That was the plan. But it looks like I failed at that." he said roughly.

"Nii-sama…" said Rukia gently. Byakuya looked at her as she placed a soft hand on his arm.

"Rukia… I'm only worried that you'd get hurt harder by this boy. I don't want that. I was hoping that he'd let you go when you were just starting to feel for him. That way you won't get hurt harder." he said softly. The servant gaped at him.

"Damn, Kuchiki taicho has a heart." muttered the servant. The three ignored him.

"Ichigo won't do that." she assured him. Ichigo stepped nearer and raised a hand in salute.

"Byakuya, if I ever hurt her, you have every right to hurt me too… Physically." he said. Byakuya stared at him. Rukia giggled.

"I understand." said Byakuya. Rukia smiled at him. "If you do, I'd let senbonzakura get you without you going bankai. Do you agree?"

"Crystal." said Ichigo, wincing at the idea. It happened before. It was a nightmare. Then he placed his hand out, waiting for Byakuya to shake it.

Rukia looked at Byakuya beseechingly. But Byakuya stared at the hand as if it was a dust mite.

"Now that we have that cleared, you better get going Rukia." he said, and nodded for the servant to come with him to the 6th squad.

Rukia rushed to Ichigo as Byakuya and the servant left. Then Ichigo called out to him,

"Can I at least fight back when senbonzakura attacks!?"

Byakuya ignored him as Rukia punched Ichigo flat on the face.

**HT/KK**

The pitter patter of the water from the faucet irritated her. Karin had just washed her face, and was putting on the clothes when the noise started.

"What the hell—"she grimaced. She put down her top and walked to the bathroom. Her eyebrows knitted together angrily.

She looked at the faucet and roughly tried to close it with one hand.

"Great." she growled as it started dripping again. She shook her wet hair and made a mental note to tell Toushiro about this. He could fix this.

Karin turned her back from it reluctantly and winced as the dripping continued. She was the type of girl who gets irritated at sounds that shouldn't be there.

"DAMN IT!" she burst as she turned back and used both of her hands to twist the knob. Finally, it stopped.

She sighed. And then someone knocked from the door. She put her red hands down the sink and stared at her face.

She quickly grabbed her shirt and put it on her, running to the door.

Then she turned and answered the door.

It was Yumichika and Matsumoto.

"Hey." she greeted. They 'hey-ed' back in unison. Matsumoto eyed her suspiciously.

"What were you doing? You look like someone who just ran a marathon and lost." she said. She laughed at her own joke. Yumichika rolled his eyes and turned to Karin.

"We have a lot of last minute preps to do." he announced, tapping his pad. His face was alight with excitement, just like it always does when he tells someone that he is planning a wedding.

In the past 6 months, they were busy planning tables, drinks, food, kimonos, and sending invites. Karin wasn't really worried until Yumichika actually noted out that they needed these things. Her whole family decided to launch themselves with preparing. Especially Masaki.

"What else is there to do?" asked Karin with a heavy sigh.

"Well, I'm sure you already know this… But your vows are important. Have you made them?" he asked eagerly, as if she would show him.

Karin blanched.

"Yeah, but I'm not done. Do I have to do this?" she asked beseechingly. Matsumoto patted her supportively.

"Don't worry. I'll help you with that." she winked. Karin grinned at her, a little worried.

"Also, last minute fittings," he paused and eyed the door. "And we have to get going if you want to see that reception and wedding area. I already discussed with the tailor about your Obi problem, so you don't have to worry about that."

Karin nodded. The 'Obi' or the belt that comes with the kimono was too loose for her. It fitted on her first fittings, but she shrunk unbelievably with more dojo practices with the 11th squad.

"Lastly, we have a practice in five hours. Hitsugaya taicho will be there." He added, as if to assure her.

"Really? I imagine that he's busy." she said. Matsumoto and Yumichika laughed.

"Do you think he'd skip practice to work?" asked Matsumoto.

"I guess not." said Karin, a little embarrassed.

"By the way, your dresser will be Matsumoto." said Yumichika quickly. Matsumoto grinned.

"What!? What the heck happened to the one you gave me three months ago!?" she shouted. Yumichika winced.

"She canceled. Apparently, they ran out of white powder." He said apologetically. Karin sighed.

"That's a stupid excuse. I don't care if they use chalk! And Matsumoto has white powder…?"

"Yes. Of course she does. Right, Matsumoto?" he asked, turning to Matsumoto's boobs.

"Haii!" she grinned while giving her a thumbs up.

"We have to get going if we want to be on schedule, Karin. I already told Zaraki taicho about this, so we have the whole day." he said happily.

He turned the door and walked out briskly followed by Matsumoto. Karin looked back at the room and sniffed angrily when she heard the soft pitter patter of water from the faucet start again.

**HT/KK**

Isshin groaned as he sat up from their bed. Masaki was lying right next to him, naked except for her bra. He smiled at her as he realized that her face was pink and looked contented.

Last night, they had one of their few nights. It was odd that way.

Today was Karin and Toushiro's wedding practice and Isshin and Masaki were required to be there. He had to be up early so that he wouldn't leave the entire excess load on poor Izuru.

"Good morning, Isshin." muttered Masaki next to him. She was smiling, and clutching the bed spread on her. Isshin grinned at her and winked.

"Good morning, love." he said, kissing the top of her forehead. Masaki moved and sat up.

"Are you leaving early?" she asked, using her finger to put small circles on his back. Isshin shivered pleasantly.

"Yeah. I have work to do." he said huskier than usual. Masaki noticed the tone and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay, at least let me make you breakfast." she said. Isshin blushed.

"They're serving breakfast in the office..." then his words trailed off as Masaki inched nearer him and whispered in his ear.

"I know you want breakfast." she muttered, her breath fanning his red ears. She giggled and kissed his cheek.

"O-Okay." he breathed as Masaki stood up and let the bed sheet fall from her body.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro adjusted his black wedding kimono, feeling slightly slurry as he looked out the window. They were going to have a practice, but he'd rather stay at the office and finish his work. He knew that if he let them pile now and tomorrow, he'd have lesser time for a honeymoon with Karin. He huffed and walked out the door.

To his surprise, Karin was standing there, her mouth turned up in a smile. She was holding a flower and her dark eyes twinkling at him.

"Karin?" he asked, as if he were unsure.

"Hey." She greeted. He blushed as he saw that she was eyeing his kimono. Her grin turned wider.

"You're going to the practice?" she asked, amused. Toushiro raised an eyebrow.

"I _think _I am. Why aren't you there?" he asked this time. Karin laughed, letting the fresh breeze in her lungs.

"I'd rather not." she said.

"Why not?" asked Toushiro gently. A million questions started circling in his head. Was she pulling out? Did something go wrong? Doesn't she want to get married anymore?

"I want to be here… With you." she muttered. Toushiro blinked.

"You know we have to attend that practice." he said. Karin looked away.

"We already had a practice. It's not like we don't know what to do." she said slowly. Toushiro eyed her.

"Karin, is something wrong?" he asked, unsure. Karin looked at him and sniffed the flower on her hand.

"It's our last day of being single. I want to be here with you." she said. Toushiro inched nearer and took her in his arms.

"No, it's the last day 'till the rest of our lives." he said quietly. Karin smiled and looked into his green-blue eyes, taking it in.

"Do you still want to get married?" asked Karin. Toushiro loosened her grip on her.

"What are you talking about?" he asked."Of course I do."

His voice was very firm, as if he felt that Karin didn't want him anymore.

"Just checking." she said, pecking him on the lips. Toushiro put her face between his hands and kissed her back.

It was different this way, as if his kiss were the feeling of a zillion angels kissing back. The force of his lips between hers made her blood pound in her head. Toushiro slowly opened her lips with his mouth. They moved in unison. Karin tangled her hands in Toushiro's white hair.

Just as Toushiro was about to push the door of his office open, Yumichika appeared. He was shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Karin-chan! Hitsugaya taicho! What the HELL are you doing here?! Didn't I say that there was a practice?! I think I did!" he cried. Karin pulled away from Toushiro's lips and felt her face turn red.

Toushiro didn't look embarrassed and as Karin was moving away, he pushed her nearer him. There was no escape.

"Well?" asked Yumichika angrily, demanding an answer. Toushiro glared at him for a second and whispered in Karin's ear.

"I think we should go." he said. Karin nodded, looking back at Yumichika who was tapping his feet impatiently on the ground.

"Okay. Let's go." said Karin louder than she intended. Yumichika pulled her hand and Karin smiled as Toushiro mouthed something at her,

"See you later. I love you."

Karin replied quietly. "I love you too."

And let Yumichika drag her to the practice him muttering angrily incoherent words and a string of profanities.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro stared back at Karin who was being dragged like a rag doll by the collar. He laughed silently and went back into his house a little reluctantly. It felt like a dream, knowing that in a few hours, he'd be married. And in a few minutes, a practice will take place.

Maybe, if he had a chance, he'd stop time for a while and breathe in. Breathe out. Ease his soul and take everything back in.

He knew it's worth it. He knew that even if he feels a little pressured to have a perfect marriage… He knew that they're relationship is anything but perfect… And he didn't want to change a thing.

**HT/KK**

_HITSUGAYA TOUSHIRO POV_

_The whole ground was full of flowers, and they were in different colors. Toushiro grinned._

"_I managed to gather it the whole night." he said, his words full of pride. Matsumoto looked at him._

"_All night?" now that she thought of it, her captain looked tired, and his eyes were red. His robes were dirty too. Luckily, he washed his hands, but there were traces of mud on his fingernails._

_Toushiro nodded then picked a flower up._

"_Now, I want to surprise Karin this morning, and you have to help me decorate her room." said Toushiro. Matsumoto smiled at him._

I didn't know what got over me as I jumped out of the hotel room they rented for me. Ikkaku was snoring right next to me and I ignored him.

It wasn't the snores that woke me up anyway, it was mainly the fact that, yes, I was getting married today. And no, I wasn't next to Karin. Yesterday, Matsumoto and the others were talking about the 'rules' of marriage. It wasn't my choice, to be honest. But I decided to go along. I have a lot of brilliant plans to get away from their 'guard' Madarame, anyway.

But today, I couldn't stand not seeing Karin before I get married? Who cares about unspoken rules? They mean nothing.

I just jumped out of the second floor and unto the damp grass below. The hotel room Yumichika rented was for our honeymoon, but they decided to let me stay here since Karin lost her room at the 11th squad. It was like nothing. Not even adrenaline crossed my path as I fell like a dead bird to the ground. I was silent like a cat, nothing but the mere sounds of the howling wind that made my ears pound.

I looked at the moon, and it seemed to already want to bid its goodbyes. Today, at exactly 3 am, I ran, my heart thumping with excitement for the first time in days to the horizon… To Karin.

---

At the path way, I looked over at my shoulder and saw a small vending shop that seemed closed for the night. It sold flowers and my eyes brightened instantly. I walked over, the gravel and rocks crunching at my toes and knocked at the window.

Behind it was a small house fit for a servant, and I tried not to wince thinking about living there.

"Hello?" I asked apprehensively. Nobody answered. I thumped again, this time much harder and louder. Finally, a response.

"Who the HELL is calling at 3 am in the morning?" he shouted. I gulped. Not very encouraging.

As a captain, I am expected to be respectful to the souls at Soul Society, and I didn't plan on pissing him off. In fact, given the shop, I expected a small, sweet little girl who would be willing to sell me flower at 3 am in the morning. Apparently, it's too rude to ask as much.

"It's Hitsugaya taicho, looking for flower services." I called out, my voice strong and firm. That was my power; I can be calm and collective at times. I pride myself of that. I smiled at myself, pleased.

There was silence at the other end, and my superior hearing heard the sounds off nudging and groaning.

"Be right there, Hitsugaya taicho." he called out back in a different tone. I smirked.

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a disheveled looking teenage boy. He looked about 13 (which was probably not the case) and his brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail. His black eyes stared at me flatly with an I-just-woke-up stare.

"Yes? May I help you, sir?" he asked. His voice was different from a while ago, and my suspicion arouse as I realized that the man just woke up a kid to do his dirty work.

"I need some flowers… For a girl. My bride actually." I said dripping with happiness as I said the 'b' word out loud.

He stared at me and crossed his arms.

"Do you know what you want?" he asked rudely. I stared at him as I felt my smile slide from my face. I raised an eyebrow.

"No. I want you to make one for me." I said. He sighed.

"You want me to make one for you." He repeated skeptically. I gulped inwardly. What? Was there a trick required?

"Is that how it works?" I asked sounding stupid. He smiled smugly at me.

"If you want it. But I can do it for you… it's just that naturally, the men who come here are the ones who get their brides and girlfriends the flowers. I just wrap it with the paper." he added with a shy grin. I stared at the million flowers surrounding me and I nodded.

"I'll get to it then." I said. He stared again.

"You don't want to know the price?" he asked looking at my wallet that I took out of my pocket. I smiled.

"Not really." I said, and picked the nearest flower. It was a tall green calla lily. He smiled. Just like his eyes.

---

I opened the window with a slight creak. They always left it open, but it was well known to both of them that their window was creaky. I stared at the figure on the bed and knelt next to her.

Karin's black hair was like octopus' tentacles and her skin was a smooth as ever. She was clutching a piece of paper, and the trash bin at her side was over flowing with paper. I smiled. It was probably the vows.

I too struggled with the vows last night. In fact, it wasn't anywhere near easy when Ikkaku looks over at my shoulder and starts laughing.

"_That sucks taicho-san! It's too sweet. You have to put more eroticism in it. You know… About how her neck cranes like a flamingo when—"_

I have to shut him up with the glare at any point where he starts making suggestions. He just didn't know… It wasn't like that. Well, it's not like I didn't think of her that way. I am a man now, and naturally, my brain functions like every other man.

My eyes trained at the loose night gown of Karin, and I blushed. Skin was showing everywhere, and I knew that I would never ever let her go out in public like that. Karin was modest; she kept everything on the low. But if she just knew how… sexy… she is, I dare think of the men that would see her like this.

I cringed.

Slowly and in a tiptoe, I reached for a vase near the corner and put the flowers in it. I picked them out very carefully. It didn't matter that they weren't proportioned or were they flower arrangement worthy. I picked them because each of them had a meaning. The green-blue calla lilies, the red roses from which I tore out of the bushes for her the night I proposed to her, the white sampaguitas, the baby's breath, and even to add some drama, I inserted three pieces of weeds inside.

He placed it right next to her and smiled at her. She was grinning too, and a small amount of saliva slithered down her cheek. I held back a laugh. She turned to the other side and she gave out a small laugh.

I stopped smiling, thinking she was awake.

"Karin?" I asked, unsure.

She laughed again, a tinkling happy laugh I saw her do when she is truly happy. Then she turned back at me, her eyes still closed, still in a dream and she muttered,

"Toushiro."

Then she giggled again.

I wish I knew what she was dreaming.

But I guess I'd never know. Maybe I can get it out from her.

We have a lot of time… A century of a time… A world of a time… We have all the time in the world.

I sat next to her for the next hours, waiting for her to show any signs of talking. I was crazy, I know, because I never heard a peep out of her again.

Slowly, I traced her lips with my ring finger. I thought about her and how in a few hours we'd be one. She was going to be my wife. The only woman in the world who will be in charge of me. Naturally, It'd be my mother. But I don't know where my mother is.

I thought about how I want kids with her. Maybe three would be fantastic. She'd be the mother and I'd be the father, the provider. She can stay at home, away from the hectic world out there. I'd keep her in my arms with her round belly.

I sniffed happily. It was really stupid. I wanted to kiss her but then she stirred and rubbed her eyes. I jumped out of the window.

**HT/KK**

_KUROSAKI KARIN POV_

Today, I woke up with flowers at my bedside. The smell of it was spinning in my brain, and I felt the need to turn over and go back to sleep. Suddenly, I just remembered…

I'm getting married today!

I sat up, my hair in tangles and instinctively reached for my side. Of course, Toushiro wasn't there. Yumichika and Matsumoto say that it's an unspoken rule that the bride and the groom shouldn't sleep in the same room the night before.

I for one was a little annoyed by that fact, but unfortunately, Toushiro agreed fully. It's not fair.

But thank God, I found that I'm not afraid of the dark. I've been sleeping alone for months now, and I thought that I forgot how. And also, I had to get my vows done. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO WRITE VOWS? Damn.

I stared at the over flowing trash bin next to me and grimaced. Last night, I managed to write a Vow to Toushiro. It was a real chore, because I'm not much of a write. Ask Yuzu.

I looked out the window and smiled as I realized that the sun was already up. I hated waking in the middle of the night. Today, it will be perfect. I will get married and spend the rest of my night… err… I mean, life, with Hitsugaya Toushiro. 10th squad captain.

And I, Kurosaki Karin, will be known as the girl who married the cute Whitey-chan captain. No buts about it.

I lay down again, and smelled the flowers right next to me. Now that I was fully conscious, I can't help but smile at the bouquet next to me. It had so much meaning. I knew it myself as I remembered the morning I woke and the night I slept. The day _he_ proposed.

I clutched the duvet closer to my and started laughing hysterically. Nothing was funny at all. I was just purely, unconditionally and annoyingly happy. For the first time, I felt like nothing was going to go wrong. I knew that I had a man next to me now. He won't hurt me.

_And I love him._

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a loud horn sounded outside. I jumped out of the bed and ran to the window. I didn't notice that my gown was loose when Matsumoto and Rukia popped out of the window, both of them carrying horns. They grabbed my night gown and flung me out the window.

I fell flat on the nearby bush and coughed.

"GOOD MORNING, BRIDE-CHAAAN!!" they both screamed in my ear. I put my hands on both my ears and grimaced at them.

"God, do you have anything better to do?" I asked both of them. I wasn't angry… Just annoyed. I fixed my night gown and let them help me out of the bush.

They both grinned like crazy.

"How do you feel?" asked Rukia.

"Are you ready?" asked Matsumoto.

"Do you want champagne? It calms the nerves."

"Do you want a massage?"

"I haven't seen Hitsugaya taicho, but I'm pretty sure he looks handsome—"

"Yeah! He has always been handsome, right—"

"How would you know—"

"BAKA!"

"It's not about you—"

They went on at it, and I couldn't even understand half of what they said because after I heard 'Hitsugaya taicho', the rest was all "Blah blah".

"Shut up, both of you." I said in an irritated tone.

They both stopped and Matsumoto jumped up and down.

"Oh Karin, you're getting married! I can't believe it." she injected. Rukia looked like her face was getting stretched from smiling.

"You don't seem so happy." she noted. I raised an eyebrow.

"I am happy. In fact, I am very very happy." I said. They looked at each other.

"Did you see the flowers?" asked Matsumoto. I smiled. They smiled.

"Yes! They made me very dizzy, but I liked the gesture." I promised them. Matsumoto stuck a tongue out.

"We weren't the one who put it in. Taicho did." she said, a little huffily. Rukia nodded.

"Yeah, we were supposed to do it, but Hitsugaya taicho actually beat us to it," she sighed. "It breaks all the rules. But I'm sure it's not that bad luck."

I turned away from them and my eyes widened. Toushiro did that? He didn't even wake me? Or leave a note? Was he trying to make me more nervous?

As if reading my mind, Rukia put her head on my shoulder and said dreamily,

"Of course, he didn't wake you. I mean, he didn't want you to know. He just wanted to see you before you get married."

Matsumoto jumped in front of me and bit her lip.

"Anyway, Yumichika says to grab you and take you to Ikkaku and his room." she said mischief alight in her eyes, as if when I decide to NOT do it, she would take measures into her own hands. I wondered what she's planning. I decided not to test it.

"Okay…" I said, and watched as her eyes turned disappointed for a second. And then it turned mischievously again.

Rukia took her head off my shoulders and locked her arms around me, giving me a grin.

"Let's go get your hair and makeup done!" she shouted in my ear. I winced.

Makeup… EW.

"W-Wait, we have twelve hours 'till the wedding!" I protested as my voice cracked. Matsumoto smiled at me, her eyes narrowed.

"Honey, you do know that we have a lot of work to do, do you?" she said, scrutinizing me from head to toe. I suddenly felt self conscious in my night gown. I became aware that I haven't even shaved my legs.

"Fine." I sighed defeated as they walked me to the 11th squad.

The walk was short. And it pissed me off.

---

"No! Please no!" I groaned as Matsumoto started puffing her powder puff on my nose. I stared at the mirror.

It has been three hours. So far, I got the basics done. Yumichika was nuts about making me look beautiful. He himself washed my hair with his 'strawberry' shampoo. I wondered why he uses scented shampoo for his hair, but I dare not ask. He might start pulling.

His hands were soft with my hair, but I felt like he was pounding it in. After he rinsed it, he snapped at Rukia to shave my legs. She grimaced. I grimaced.

"_Excuse me? What am I, a servant?" she asked angrily. Yumichika raised an eyebrow._

"_Today you are." he said. And added wrinkling his nose, "It's so not beautiful."_

After she did it, my legs were cold and I shivered as Yumichika splashed a whole bucket on me. He didn't even seem to care that I was naked. Another added to my theory, that he indeed is gay. Naturally, a normal boy would start blushing. But he rolled his eyes and splashed it on my without asking me to hang on. The water was frikin' cold, I might add.

Matsumoto was waiting for me with the makeup kit and I felt my heart thump harder when I saw that she was holding up a pair of tweezers. She was eyeing my eyebrows.

"_Karin." she greeted at my towel bound body. _

"_Rangiku…" I greeted back curtly, but my tone was afraid. Matsumoto laughed._

"_Don't worry. It's either this or hot wax. And I'm telling you, tweezing is less painful. Waxing is one pull of hot pain and despair." she said in a scary ass tone. _

_I gulped._

"_Okay, just make sure to be gentle." I said._

_I wondered how Yuzu did it by herself. She didn't even wince. And I did… A lot. _

Finally, it's the makeup. She put on my face the whitest powder she could find. It reminded me of the geishas at the bars. They seemed to feel happy hiding their face behind the gunk.

I looked at the mirror again, and felt my eyes widen. Matsumoto, Rukia and Yumichika smiled at me as they held up my kimono.

"You look beautiful, Karin." said Yumichika. The others nodded. I took the Kimono and they waited for me to put it on.

When I was done, I turned in the mirror and I started crying, ignoring the roars of protests from Matsumoto. The giggles from Rukia. And the angry banter from Yumichika.

I ignored the words bubbling from their mouths. I even especially _tried_ not to wince when Matsumoto says that I have to get my makeup done again.

Why?

God, I'm getting _married_.

**HT/KK**

Matsumoto slowly opened the door to the venue. She left Karin with Rukia and Yumichika for last minute preparations. She looked around and nodded, pleased with the set up. The sake cup was placed in front of the minister. He was sitting on the chair, and reading an ancient looking book. The minister, of course, was Yamamato sotaicho.

He's eyes were trained on the page, and he didn't look up when Matsumoto stood in front of him.

"Sotaicho, why are you so early?" she asked. Matsumoto was pretty sure that he was supposed to be there in an hour. But naturally, it really is in 3 hours. Gathering takes time, and she's really shocked that he's there that early.

He finally looked up, his small black eyes glaring. Well, it looked like glaring, but really he just looked at her.

"I was told to be here. Hitsugaya taicho and Kurosaki Karin's wedding will be in a hour." he said. Matsumoto blushed.

"Ah sir, actually, it's in three hours." she said, trying not to wince when he stood up suddenly. His height was unbelievable up close. Even if he's pretty old, he looks young. Just ignore that white beard and such.

"I see." he said, his voice slightly roughened up. Matsumoto felt sorry for the idiot who told him it was in an hour.

"You can come back in three hours, sir." she muttered, looking down. Yamamato smiled. Matsumoto blushed. Rarely, a smile creeps on his face.

"Actually, I'm really very entertained with these books that Madarame Ikkaku gave me. I was hoping to get more to pass the time." he said lightly. Matsumoto burst laughing in the inside. Yamamato eyed her as if he actually heard it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Choujiro, his fukutaicho jumped out of his chair and ran out of the door.

"Uh." wondered Matsumoto. Yamamato sat down again, and picked up the book he was reading a while ago and started reading again. She hovered slowly away.

"See you later, Rangiku-san." he said gently. Matsumoto nodded and excited the room. Choujiro greeted her and went in carrying a pile of cracked books. Matsumoto laughed again, this time loudly, when she saw a title.

_KNITTING FOR IDIOTS_

**HT/KK**

Finally.

They heaved a sigh of relief when Karin didn't cry again when she looked in front of the window and smiled. Yumichika grinned and laughed heartily for no reason at all. Then he stopped and muttered about it being un-beautiful.

Rukia roped her arms around Karin and smiled.

"You look fabulous, Karin." she said, astonished at what a little work could do. Did I say a little? I meant a lot.

Karin giggled.

"Well, I know." said Karin, sounding like a celebrity who was told that her movie rocked. Yumichika sighed again.

"That took a lot of willpower, but thankfully we got it through." he said, scolding Karin for being emotional. Karin stuck her tongue out, careful not to touch the red paint on her lips.

"Well, thank you, then." she said, in a mocking angry tone.

The door opened and Masaki entered, carrying a piece of cloth, dabbing her eyes. She looked like she just burst out of tears suddenly. Karin grimaced as Masaki enveloped her in a tight bear hug.

"Mom… Yeah, mom. I know, I'm getting married. I know I know. You're chocking me, mother." she gasped out, patting her mother's back. Masaki let go and smiled at her daughter.

"Oh, Karin. I'm so happy for you. To think you broke up in the first place." said Masaki, in a chocked voice. Karin raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you, mother." she said, blushing as Matsumoto and Yumichika raised an eyebrow at her.

"I brought you something." said Masaki, and with a swift hand took out from her pocket a flowered hair comb. It was pink, but the small light blue diamonds at the side complimented the flowers. Karin gasped.

"Mom, that's—" she blurted out.

"It's my wedding comb. It took some time clearing boxes to find it. I want you to use it for your wedding. Maybe you can give it to a future daughter." said Masaki with a wink. Karin grinned and took it, carefully handing it to Yumichika to put it on her hair.

"Thank you." she whispered. Masaki started tearing up again.

"Karin, listen, I know I was missing in your life for so long. I wasn't there to see you cry or laugh or even see you go to high school. I wasn't there in your soccer matches, or you're first date to cheer you on. I wasn't there when you had your first heartache. Or was there when you went to Soul Society…" she said. Karin listened, remembering every bit of all the years she spent on earth.

"But, I was here when you got back with Toushiro. When you became a shinigami. I was_ here_. But you know what? It's not enough. Now that you are getting married, I feel like a real mother again. Someone who holds her daughter's hand when she needs it the most. I'm very happy for you, and you can't imagine how happy I am right now." she said slowly, taking Karin's hand at the right moment and clutching it into her heart. Karin felt a hot tear in her eye, and Masaki swiftly wiped it like an expert away from her eyes.

"I love you, baby girl." said Masaki gently, and Karin hugged her and sniffed.

"I love you too, mom." she muttered and felt Masaki shake again with tears.

They didn't mention Yuzu in their mother and daughter moment. It wasn't the time for more tears, or for mourning. It was time for a wedding… In exactly 30 minutes.

**HT/KK**

Toushiro put on his black matrimony kimono and smoothed his hair back. He was alone in his hotel room. Ikkaku was out, handling the sotaicho. He was given the map to the venue, even if Toushiro knew it well enough.

He breathed in deeply and gulped. He was nervous as he brushed imaginary lint off his robe.

_Yama-jin was now watching Toushiro, and so was Soi Fon and Byakuya._

"_Tell me, are my sources true?"_

_Toushiro bowed his head. Was he going to say the thing that will lose him his job?_

_He had to choose._

_He had to choose his priority._

_Karin… Or Soul Society?_

_Somehow he knew the answer, he was just finding a hard time saying it out loud._

He jumped up and down, as if he was prepping himself for a battle and took Hyourinmaru to his side. He felt its icy swords wrap around him, and he felt calm instantly.

_Dear Toushiro,_

_If you are reading this, I am now at Rukongai. You are probably wondering why I left… Well, I'm going to tell you right now. I got your sotaicho hell butterfly message and I know now that I have to leave. Not tomorrow, but right now. _

_I'm doing this because I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay a captain. I want you to rule Soul Society… I want you to be happy. _

_And to do that, I will sacrifice. I love you, Toushiro. It seems uncanny that I'm saying this now… But I really do. And I know that I will never find someone else like you._

_Kurosaki Karin_

He looked out the window and watched as the sun slowly moved an inch. It was time.

"_I love you, Karin." he said, his voice tiny. Karin looked at him again, this time her eyes wide._

"_W-What?" she asked._

"_I love you, damn it!" he burst. He looked so upset that Karin couldn't stand looking at him. Then Karin went nearer to him, Toushiro didn't move. He watched as she went nearer. Slowly…_

_Then she was right in front of him. Toushiro looked at her, her dark eyes connecting to his._

"_Karin…" he whispered. Karin enveloped him in a hug, Toushiro gasped._

"_Toushiro… I love you too… That's why im letting you go." she whispered. Toushiro felt her grip his robes then a slight sob. "I want you to be a captain… Continue you're job, Toushiro… This place needs you more than I…"_

"_Didn't you hear what I said?" asked Toushiro. Karin felt him tighten his grip on her… As if he was afraid of letting go._

_Karin pushed him off gently, then held his hand, their eyes connected together. Toushiro saw a lone tear stream down her eyes._

"_I did… Toushiro… We will always be whole. We will always be together… Though we are not together, we will be connected by our bonds." she said. Toushiro gripped her hand._

"_Don't do this, Karin." he said, almost begging. Karin released his hands, and they seemed cold after they took off from each other._

"_I'm sorry." she said, then she turned away. "Please, leave me…"_

"_Karin…" he muttered. In desperation, he bent down on his knees. "Don't leave me."_

He stared at the door and felt his palms turn sweaty. He reached for it and went out to the street. His pace was slow, yet it felt really quick. The kids at the side, carrying candy bags stared at his garb and Toushiro turned to smile at them. They looked back in shock. One kid even said,

"Look! It's Hitsugaya taicho. I heard he's getting married today."

Toushiro grinned at himself and walked faster, away from the staring eyes.

"_I never expected picking up a soccer ball and handing it back to a human would get me this far." he said. Karin giggled. "Kurosaki Karin, I love you."_

_Karin blushed and squeezed his hand._

"_I love you more, Hitsugaya Toushiro."_

"_That's why I was hoping that maybe… If you want… You could be my wife?" he said, his words in a stutter. Karin stared at him in shock._

He turned to the corner and shunpoed. He felt free, and ignored the shouts below him as he dashed from roof to roof. He's going to be late… For his own wedding.

_Oh crap. _

**HT/KK**

Yumichika frantically swept the whole building, screaming at people in the process.

"God damn it! Where the hell is Hitsugaya taicho!?" he screamed. Someone who was carrying a crate of sake bottles jumped and almost dropped it. Yumichika glared at him.

"Have you seen the groom?" he cried angrily. The poor kid shook his head and scurried away. Yumichika seethed and kicked the wall with all his might.

"Agh!" he gasped as he realized that it was painful.

"I thought the 11th squad would be stronger." muttered someone behind him. Yumichika turned and was about to shout at the person when he realized it was Nemu. Nemu, the 12th squad fukutaicho.

Her hair was braided, and she was smiling at him. Yumichika blushed. Nemu was what he called, "Beautiful". In fact, he really liked her. He just didn't have the guts to say it out loud.

"Hey, Nemu-chan." he said. Then he added hesitantly, "Have you seen Hitsugaya taicho?"

Nemu nodded her head slowly and looked at the her left.

"I actually passed by him a few seconds ago. He just went to the venue. Why?" she asked. Yumichika sighed gratefully.

"I-I… Nothing." he said, and slapped himself for being ugly. Nemu grinned at him.

"Well, I have to go to Kurotsuchi taicho. He wants to watch the wedding with me." she said, turning away. Yumichika blushed again.

"W-Wait! You want me to come with you?" he asked. He slapped himself again.

Nemu's eyes turned brighter.

"That would be my pleasure." she said, her light voice turning higher. Yumichika smiled, and then took her arm to his.

"By the way, you look Beautiful today." he said. Nemu laughed.

"Oh yeah, I just got medicated earlier this morning. I'm supposed to look beautiful." she said. Yumichika winced, but smiled all the same.

**HT/KK**

Karin put her hand on 3rd squad captain Kurosaki Isshin taicho's arm and squeezed it gently.

"Don't be afraid." she said, mostly to herself. Isshin smiled at her.

"Yeah. My daughter is getting married, why would I be afraid?" he stated. Karin giggled.

"You know, I don't mind walking by myself." she said. Isshin raised an eyebrow at her.

"And I don't care if you mind walking by yourself. I'm walking you to the altar, young lady." he teased. Karin laughed with him.

"Dad, I'm sure I don't tell you this much… But I love you, dad." she said. Isshin smiled.

"I know. I love you too. Even when you screamed at me that you don't." he said. Karin blushed.

The doors opened, and the sounds of the organ sounded. Karin closed her eyes for a second, and opened it, letting the scene blend in her eyes.

"Oh, God." she whispered. Isshin nudged her supportively.

The room was filled with people. At the side, the captains and the vice captains looked cool and collective in their shinigami uniforms. The people at the back were normal people. People Karin was sure that Toushiro helped or was known to in the past.

All their eyes trained on her, but Karin looked in front and spotted Toushiro's white hair. She melted. His eyes were green-blue, which never failed to stun her. He was smiling at her, but she could see the sweat pouring on his forehead. Karin smiled back.

Toushiro looked at her with all his might and he wanted to jump and grab her and leave the room for them to be alone. But it was time. And she looked fantastic. He couldn't even control his hands as they shook uncontrollably.

Finally, she reached him and she gave him a small smile.

"Karin." he mouthed. He thought about his vows. He memorized it.

_Karin, I promised to love you with all my heart. Even if you get cold, I'd be there to make you warm. I'd support you and take care of you. I want children with you. I want you to be happy. I have never been the perfect boy for you, yet you gave me your heart back. I don't deserve someone as perfect like you, but yet you keep on reminding me that I am._

_Kurosaki Karin, you know I love you. If I ever hurt you, I give you the permission to hurt me back. If I ever make you sad, I give you the permission to make me sad. If I ever cause you physical pain, I give you the permission to kill me._

_With all the love and strength I have. I will be your protector, your angel… As long as we are both alive. _

"Toushiro." she mouthed back. Unsaid words, yet she heard them all the same, so she thought about her vows too.

_Toushiro, I'm really stupid you know. I'm clumsy, I get grouchy, I even punch people I love when I am. But still, you hold my hand, you control me and make me feel warmth. Our love will forever be, but still I wonder if you ever will stay that way. I shouldn't… I trust you. _

_You know what people say? They say that I am not worthy of you… Yet, you make me feel like the person that everyone else loves. I hear you whisper in my ear every night we are together… And sometimes, you make me feel like a real princess… Please don't. _

_I love you, Toushiro. And I look forward to seeing your green-blue eyes and you're whitey-chan hair every single day of my entire life. And maybe you would too… but I don't think you'd see anything special here._

Yamamato gave them both a wink and he raised his arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen…"

**A/N: Wow! OMG. That's the longest chapter ive ever written. 10,520 words. xD I'm very happy. Yeah, I know. The story ain't over yet, folks. But please review!! While we are at it, please read the first two chapters of 'Mistakes'. Support support! ******

**In a week, I will post the epilogue which is dedicated to Hinatasbf, whom I owe the chapter to for 7 months. Lol. Yeah yeah, time to get off the computer. My back hurts.**

**I'm sorry again for those I pissed. It did take me 4 months to get this chapter done. Stupid me, right?**

**REVIEW! O.O **


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